The Book of Ra
by mythomagic
Summary: A year has passed since Carter and Sadie saved the world from Set, God of Chaos. Now, Apophis is rising, and the Kanes are now on a new journey-but will they find the Book of Ra and stop the serpent before it's too late? TWO YEAR HIATUS NEARLY UP-FEBRUARY 2014
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! mythomagic here! This is not my first story *wink* so I'm not afraid of flames or constructive criticism. Before I begin, let's get some things straight. 1) I do NOT own the Kane Chronicles. I asked to on my birthday, but no luck. And 2) there will be LOTS AND LOTS OF ZARTER IN THIS STORY. Thank you. I guess I don't have to tell you it's what I think will happen in the second book. I've had this idea for a while and tried getting some others to write it, but again, no such luck, so I'm gonna try to do it myself. ;) Enjoy!**

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So, you found the locker. You learned the powers of its contents and have traveled to Brooklyn in search of Sadie and I… and not a moment too soon. Apophis is rising, sooner than expected, and we need all the help we can get.

I'm Carter by the way. Carter Kane, blood of the pharaohs. My sister Sadie and I live in Brooklyn, training fellow magicians in magic (with the help of Bast of course). Our uncle Amos visits from time to time, but he's usually traveling, trying to "gather his thoughts." Why you'd travel all the way to Zimbabwe to think is beyond me, but I figured I better not ask. [Yes Sadie, I'm getting to that part!] Jeesh. That's my sister Sadie by the way. She's thirteen years old, two years younger than me and two times more annoying. [Hey! You know it's true! Besides, _I'm_ telling this story!]

Anyway, the 21st Nome has become more like a private school than a millionaire's mansion. We had to clear out a lot of Egyptian artifacts from Amos' study just to make enough room for the new magicians who'll be training here. From papyrus scrolls written in hieroglyphics to decaying, ancient Egyptian mummies, you name it, Amos had it. It was a lot of work, but we've finally cleared out enough historic artifacts to have room for our new boarders. You see, we've been hunting down more magicians who haven't been told who they are yet. Number wise, that's very few. Most of them find their way to the First Nome before we can stop them, so we're sort of low in numbers, _but_ we've been able to convince a lot of trainees from the First Nome to come and join our cause, so we aren't doing _too _badly. For now…

Deep down, I know this may not be enough. The only way we can defeat the serpent is if gods and magicians work together, which is sort of hard to do since Desjardins is still threatening Sadie and I, not to mention everyone who joins us. I guess you could say I'm not very popular with fellow magicians at the moment.

This story begins on a humid autumn evening in Brooklyn. Bast was out of New York for the day, searching for more trainees in Benin. I told her she probably wouldn't find anyone there, but she argued that she was _positive_ she sensed one. Don't ask me how she knows this; must be one of her "Cat Goddess" powers or something. Either it's a magician, or some kid with a LOT of felines. For the world's sake, I was hoping for a magician. Besides, Bast ate all the Friskies.

While Bast went magician-seeking in Africa, I got the "amazing" task of cleaning the pool. Did I mention it's a crocodile invested pool, full of leaves and soggy cheerios?

_KHUFU!_

Well, I guess I shouldn't be complaining. It could be worse. In fact, I could be stuck with the younger magicians, teaching them how to write with the Divine Words and make them come to life, which is what Sadie was doing today. I'd probably end up embarrassing myself again, like I did with-

I sighed at the memory. _Like I did with Zia._

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get Zia out of my head, almost like I couldn't get Horus out my mind a year ago. She saved our lives last year, more than once actually, and risked everything to help us. After my battle with Set, I found out she was just a _shabti_ (a hand-made servant placed in Egyptian tombs so they can serve the deceased in the Afterlife.) In other words, she was _clay._ Why didn't she tell me? It's not like _I_ ever lied to her.

I sighed again as I pulled yet another mini box of cheerios out of the pool.

Who am I kidding? I guess I'm not mad that she didn't tell me. I'm just…curious. Did she not trust me after all? Then again, she did trust me when-

_"Carter!" _A frantic voice whispered.

I glanced up from the pool_,_expecting to see one of the newcomers asking me where the bathroom was or something, but no one was there. That had been happening a lot lately. I'd hear someone whisper my name, but by the time I look up, they're gone.

_Or they were never there._

I lifted the scooper up just in time just before Philip of Macedonia (our albino crocodile) ate it. _Phew_. It wouldn't be the first time.

"_Carter!" _The voice was softer this time; fading.

There it was again! I sat down on the lawn chair and searched the patio, but I was still alone. Philip grunted from the corner of the pool, willing me to finish cleaning.

_Man, maybe I'm becoming delusional. Or maybe some of Sadie's weirdness had finally rubbed off on me-_

"_Carter! Carrrter!"_

_OKAY, _I thought, franticly searching the New York skyline. _Now I'm_ officially _freaked out._

I decided some god must be trying to invade my head [Hey, it had happened before!] and that I should put an end to it before things got too out of hand.

_But how do you get rid of someone you can't even see?_

I was already frightened, so I did the only logical thing I could think of: I slammed the scooper against my forehead and yelled "SHUT UP!"

I thought it was working because I didn't hear anything, but then I heard a gasp, and sure enough, there was a kid staring at me from the patio, sucking her thumb. She asked me where the bathroom was. _Figures._

After giving her directions and thanking the gods it wasn't any of the older magicians who saw me, I threw Phillip of Macedonia some leftover steak and retreated to my secluded bedroom at the far end of the mansion. Just the thought of having my own room made me feel better. My dad and I were constantly traveling, so we never had time to buy a house, let alone stay in the same place for more than a few days. Now I officially had a home to return to, an annoying sister to bicker with, and a room to call my own. Still, I wasn't happy. I found it ironic that I finally had the home I always wanted, but my dad wasn't here to see it.

I opened the white, wooden door into my room, number 42. The bed was just how I left it: abandoned and unmade. The sliding door to the balcony was open, and a warm breeze blew into the room, causing pages of my latest Egyptian mythology book to flip endlessly. I picked up the book and flipped through it. Just a bunch of what Sadie would call "Egyptian rubbish." I rolled my eyes at the memory and walked over to my bed, already feeling drained and exhausted. I didn't even bother to change into pajamas, because the instant my head hit the pillow, I knew there was no way I'd be able to get up again until I had some rest.

It was only 7:30, but I'd been practicing all day. It takes a lot out of a guy, not to mention the voice in my head was seriously giving me the creeps.

Anyway, I feel asleep almost instantly, but apparently my _ba_had other ideas.

*::*::*

**I promise that the chapters get better—and longer. You'll see. Review and tell me what you think. It's greatly appreciated.**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi guys! Oh my gods! Thanks for the awesome feedback and favs and such! Yes, there will be Zarter…as you will start to see in this chapter. Anybody check Rick Riordan's blog? Well, I did today, and I found out the freakiest thing: the next book is about the ****BOOK OF RA! Oh Thoth! Can you believe it? And I've had this idea since June! Some strange magic is afoot if you ask me. ;) Anyway, enjoy!**

**This is dedicated to ****Pony ****for being my first review (I'll overlook the fact they like sanubis better than zarter... ;)**

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The problem with sleeping as a magician is that you never actually get to stay under your covers. Some outside force just _has_ to rip your _ba_ out of a peaceful dream and drag you halfway across the world, which is exactly what happened the moment I shut my eyes.

My _ba_ basically looks like a flying chicken, so I adjusted its form before I got pulled out the window into the night. All I had to do was imagine myself in whatever form I wanted, and _poof__!_ You're _ba_ changes into whatever you thought of. Now at least I looked normal with a T-shirt and a pair of jeans._ Anything_ was better than a flying chicken man.

I flew over New York, dodging a couple of buildings and a large McDonald's advertisement. The last thing I needed was my soul splattered on an enormous cheeseburger.

Suddenly, the New York skyline disappeared, and instead of streets and modern buildings below me, I was flying over miles and miles of endless sand. The air was dry and hot, and the soft breeze lifted grains of white sand into the air. I was soaring above a _desert_. I must have flown millions of miles in less than a second. Then again, I rode in an Egyptian reed boat from London to New York in a couple of minutes. I guess it's just your average form of transportation as a magician.

After a minute or so, I spotted a few houses in the distance. Well, I'm not sure houses are the best word for them. They were falling apart, some burned and others just a pile of red rock and clay against the pale desert sand. I recognized the mud brick houses; they were just like the homes my dad and I would past on our way to the next dig site in Egypt. Whatever happened here, it hadn't been pretty.

As far as I could tell, it was abandoned. Only the sound of the narrow, almost completely dry river could be heard. As hot as it was, I wasn't in the mood for a swim. I was about to try to wake myself up, when something caught my eye.

It was of a small figure standing by the bank of the river. Normally, if I saw some person standing alone in a deserted village, I'd keep my distance, but I absolutely no choice, because my _ba_ was heading right toward them.

I instinctively reached for my dad's workbag, but then I realized I was in _ba_-form. I _had_ no bag. I was about to do something smart, like start running for example, but then I actually saw the figure by the bank, and I almost had a coronary.

It was _her_.

She wore a white headscarf over her dark, shoulder-length hair. Her white and gold robes were covered in dust, and she had a familiar glint in her caramel colored eyes, outlined in Egyptian kohl. She looked downright beautiful, the way she does before she tries to kill you. It was…

"_Zia_?" I managed.

My face must have shown my shock, because she actually cracked a smile.

"It's been a long time, Carter. I've been trying to reach you, but I've had some…technical difficulties."

"I-I thought-" There was a million things I wanted to ask her, but before I could remember how to speak, Zia cleared her throat.

"Uh, and you might want to step out of the river…" Zia suggested; the corners of her lips twitching into a smile.

"Um, yeah, right," I stammered, feeling stupid. I jumped out of the river onto the bank, keeping a safe distance from Zia. Hey, the last time I saw the _real _Zia was when she tried to kill me. I still couldn't believe she knew my name. I mean, it was the _shabti_ who saved us last year. Sadie and I never knew the real Zia…_right_?

Zia laughed. "You can come over, Carter. I don't bite."

I decided that I the only way I was going to get my answers was to actually _ask_her, so I walked over to where she was standing; an entrance to a small, dark cave next to the bank. Zia was searching the horizon with worried eyes, which didn't exactly make me feel welcome, but when she turned back to me, she smiled, and my problems seemed to melt away.

"It took you long enough," She remarked. "Do you know how many times I tried making contact with you? It's not easy, you know."

"Wait, _you _were the voice at the pool today?"

"Like I said, I've been trying to contact you for weeks. That was my latest attempt," Zia answered. Then she looked over her shoulder for the second time.

"What?" I asked as I stared suspiciously at the barren landscape before me.

"N-nothing," Zia answered, turning her back to the river. "I must hurry. Time is of the essence."

"Why are you hurrying? What are you worried about?"

Zia raised a hand to stop me. "Carter! That's not important. The reason why I've been trying to contact you is because of Nyphthys."

"Nyphthys?" I remembered discovering Zia had been a host to Nyphthys last year, and that the goddess had told her Set's secret name. It never occurred to me that she'd still be hosting her. Then again, Zia's been missing for an entire year, so she couldn't get rid of the goddess, even if she tried.

"Yes, she's told me some information about..." Zia lowered her voice to a whisper. "About how to defeat Apophis."

Well, that caught my attention. This is what we've been training the other magicians for all year. He's also supposed to eat the sun and kill everyone on earth. No wonder why they locked him up for eons. He must have been a real party pooper.

"What do you mean by 'information'? You know how to defeat him?" I asked earnestly.

"Not exactly…but I know how to find out," Zia replied.

"I'm listening."

"We have to find the-"Zia paused, and turned around _again_. Okay, it doesn't take a genius to know she was hiding something from me, but at that moment, all I really cared about was figuring how to defeat Apophis, so I kept my mouth shut.

Looking satisfied, she turned back to me and whispered, "_The Book of Ra_."

Zia might as well have been speaking Portuguese, because it made absolutely no sense to me. "The Book of _what_?"

Zia rolled her eyes. "Ra, as in the sun god! The-Book-of-Ra!"

"Yeah, I know who he is," I replied, "but what is this about a book?"

Zia sighed. "Think, Carter. Ra _created_ the serpent. If anyone knows how to defeat it, it's him."

_Hmm…she has a point there._

"Well, yeah, but wasn't Ra, like, banished forever? Isis poisoned him, remember?"

Zia arched a black eyebrow. "What's your point?"

I had been staring into her eyes. For a second there, I forgot what I was saying.

_What was my point again?_

"My point is, wouldn't he have a huge grudge on the gods? Assuming he's alive that is. And-"

"_And_…?" Zia prodded.

"…And, if we were to go looking for Ra, he'd have a huge grudge on us too, right? I mean, we were hosts to the gods, so I doubt he'd even let us within a hundred miles of him, let alone close enough to ask him to borrow a book from his private collection."

"True, Ra has a grudge on the gods, but only one god in particular," Zia answered. She looked at me expectantly.

"_One god in particular."_ I racked my brain, trying to figure out what she meant. Suddenly, a feeling of dread washed over me.

"_Isis,_" I cursed. "Oh great. He's going to blast Sadie into space if we bring her with us, and I don't go _anywhere_ without Sadie."

My annoying sister had been hosting the goddess last year, but after Set's pyramid was destroyed, Isis left her forever. Sadie was simply a host to the goddess of magic. Still, it might be difficult explaining that to a millennia-old, banished god who was overthrown by none other than Isis herself.

"Who said you couldn't bring her?" Zia questioned. "You're going to need your little sister on this quest no matter what. She can come along all right, but she's just going to have to wait while you see Ra. That is one thing you'll have to do alone, and from what Nyphthys has told me, it won't be the last," she concluded a matter-of-factly.

"Hold it," I argued, not liking the sound of that. "What do you mean I have to do it alone? Nyphthys never said you had to wait too. We'll just march up to wherever this ancient god is hiding and ask him for the book, _together_."

Zia looked like I just set off a bomb.

"C-Carter, I won't, _I can't_ come with you."

"What do you mean? I've found you! All I have to do is wake up, summon a portal and be here in a couple of hours!"

Zia looked down at her sand-covered sandals. "Carter…I don't want to be found."

Now, I may be a little slow, but it finally occurred to me that Zia was _asking_ to remain hidden. _Please_. Like that was going to happen.

"Zia, we need you! You've been gone for a _whole_ year! I need you to come with me and Sadie! It wouldn't be a quest without you." It only took me a couple seconds to realize what I was saying, so I quickly added, "You know, for your fighting skills and everything. We need someone like you."

Zia stared sadly at me. "Carter…I can't. I would if I could, but-"

"But _what_?" I demanded.

"I-" she began, but before she could finish, a jaw-rattling roar erupted behind us. I turned around, but nothing was there, just the endless, dark horizon. Before I could ask what the Thoth that was, I heard the roar again, only this time I could make out another sound: footsteps. _Heavy_ footsteps. I was sure of one thing, though. Whatever that was, it was headed in our direction. _Fast._

"Zia…?" Something told me that sound was not a group of happy villagers, welcoming me to their ghost town. Zia turned as pale as the moon. She flung around to face me, and I saw something I've never seen in Zia's eyes: _terror._

"We're out of time," she muttered. "Carter, go. You're the bravest person I know. You'll know what to do when the time is right. Find the Book of Ra. The goddess said something about Heliopolis. Now hurry! You are our only chance." When I didn't move, she added, "Go!" but the word was lost in the cries of the creature behind me. Then reluctantly, she turned and began to descend into the dark and humid cave before us.

I stubbornly followed. "Zia, I'm not leaving you. We need you, Zia! We can figure this out." The sound of the monster was even closer, and I knew that if I turned around, I would see it, but I couldn't leave Zia. I had finally found her, how could I lose her again?

"I-I'm sorry Carter. I'm so sorry," Zia whispered, and with that, she snapped her fingers, and everything went black.

*::*::*

**Zia returns! Why would she want to remain hidden? Hm…**

**Any guesses? Do you have any praise or criticism? Well, let me know! Click the REVIEW button or I will throw you into the Duat! Yeah…I can do stuff like that. ;)**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Same old same old: I don't own the KC (wish I did, but I don't) or any of the characters blah blah blah and REVIEW. Okay, I'm done know. This is basically Carter putting the pieces together, so it may not be the most interesting, but hey! You need to know what's happening! ;) Sorry it's so short! ;)**

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I woke up thinking I was about to be eaten.

Tons of memories flooded my mind, but only one of them mattered: Zia was in trouble. I had to help her.

I leaped from my bed, threw on a shirt, jeans, and a jacket, and was about to tiptoe downstairs when reality hit me.

I had absolutely no idea where Zia was. I mean, I knew-or assumed-it was in an abandoned village in Egypt, but it could be anywhere for Thoth's sake! Where do I start looking? I headed out on my balcony to think. The air was cool, and the sound of cars passing by could be heard in the distance. I leaned against the cold railing.

_Think Carter. Who hid Zia in the first place?_

Well, that wasn't hard. I remembered the look on the Chief Lector's face when he looked at her…like a father would look at his daughter. Just the way my mother and father used to look at me and Sadie.

_Iskandar._

Obviously he hid Zia. Probably when he found out she was hosting the goddess that night at the museum. He needed to protect her, but where would he have hidden her?

_If I was Iskandar, what would I do?_

Well…he loved her. He would want her to be safe while Set was in power…but if he believed that the gods and magicians have to work together, then how could he leave her in hiding while she was still a host? It doesn't take a genius to know we'd need Zia later on… and Nyphthys of course. Zia was one of the best magicians in the First Nome. Why would he hide her somewhere where she and the goddess would never be found?

_Because he hid her where she_could _be found._

I mean, he would have had to, right? Zia had her whole life ahead of her; he wouldn't take that away just because she was hosting a goddess. If he wanted to do that, he would have killed her right then and there…right?

_Bad thought._

Of course he wouldn't. That's why he hid her, so he wouldn't have to. I remembered what Zia had told Sadie and I at the First Nome; something that refused to leave my head: "No one has ever been greater at statuary...except maybe Iskandar..."

That's it! He knew she'd be in danger if she stayed in the First Nome, but knowing the world would need her later on, he made a shabti of Zia and hid her somewhere where she'd be safe from Set, but where she'd also be found after everything had blown over!

_I'm a genius._

Then again, I still didn't know where she was. I just reasoned why the heck Iskandar hid her, and what kind of a place she'd be hidden in. I still didn't know where she was… but I wasn't giving up.

I looked over to the dark horizon. More cars flooded the city, off on their way to work no doubt. That could only mean one thing: It would be morning soon.

_Come on, Carter, come on! Clock's ticking!_

I started pacing back and forth, raking by brain; trying to figure this out.

Okay, so I know he'd want Zia to be found. So…it'd need to be somewhere where her enemies couldn't find her, but where an ally could discover her. Otherwise, anybody could find Zia if it was in an obvious place, like the First Nome, right? And if it was too difficult, then no one would _ever_ find her. She'd be trapped, _forever_. Iskandar would never allow that. Therefore, she would need to be in a place that only people she trusted would know of. A place she only talked about to people she-

Then, it happened, the whole "Eureka!" moment. Everything fell into place.

_Gods._

_That night in the First Nome._

_The shrine._

_The village._

That's when I realized things were a lot worse than I thought. I knew exactly where Zia was, and it was one place I never wanted to venture to.

_He hid her back where it all began._

_Iskandar brought Zia home._

*::*::*

**What does Carter mean? Any guesses?**

**REVIEW OR I WILL THROW YOU INTO THE LAIR OF APOPHIS! Yeah, that would NOT be fun. why risk it? REVIEW! It takes, what? A minute out of your life? **

** Chapters will get more interesting-how about you read chapter four and see what I mean? ;)**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello everyone! Thanks for all the votes...so far Carter and Zia are tied in first! Sadie and Anubis fans are far, FAR behind ;) GO ZARTER! Uh...i mean...go everyone (not) ;) Read and review as always. And by the way, if any of you got reviews long ago suggesting Zia's hiding place (that would be a couple of you...) sent by greenplanet...well, that was me. Yes, SURPRISE! ;) I****'m greenplanet AND mythomagic!**** Most of you would only know me from my constant reviewing. Anyway, recycle please! Save our planet and enjoy! ;)**

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Now that I knew where she was, I faced another problem: how am I going to get out of the house without any magicians—or, gods forbid, _Sadie—_hearing me? Then I came up with an idea.

Ever since I gave up my connection with Horus, I've been not only training with the other magicians, but with myself. While the others stopped for a break, I'd go to the library and study more spells and tricks that could be the least bit helpful in the dark months to come. Recently, I stumbled upon an old spell, one that instantly caught my eye. It works better with masters of air, but as long as you concentrate and aren't afraid to fall to your death, it works fine! Besides, I'm studying the path of Horus for Thoth sake. How hard could it be? Okay...I admit, I've only practiced on the steps outside my room, but hey, what's a couple more hundred feet?

I walked over to the edge of the balcony, looked down, and gulped.

_Uh…make that a couple _thousand_ more feet._

A balcony looks a lot higher up when you're preparing to jump from it. The pedestrians looked like ants from up here, and the height made the world seem to tilt. I swayed dizzily on the balcony and almost lost my footing. One of Sadie's bubblegum wrappers, which I was _always _picking up around the house (under the rug, behind the couch, in the fridge, _everywhere_) fell out of my pocket and fell, ever so slowly, to the ground below. As it hit the road, a huge truck ran over it. After the truck was gone, I got a look at the wrapper—or what was left of it. It was as flat as a pancake.

I was about to chicken out and just risk someone catching me, but then I remembered Zia and that thing in the desert. I had to help her, and I would not risk Sadie's life either. I climbed onto the railing…and jumped.

You may think that's really brave and all, but I was seriously regretting it the moment my Sketchers left the railing.

I tried to concentrate, but all I could think was: _Falling! Falling! Falling!_

You see, the point is to imagine there are steps leading down to the ground, and with magic and a little imagination, there will be. The only problem: I couldn't think.

_No. I __**can.**_

I imagined a step below me, stopping my fall. Then, I took my wand and drew three symbols as I fell through the air: a square and a half horizontal circle onto of a table-like structure; the hieroglyphic symbol for the sky.

Suddenly, the air beneath me began to solidify, and within seconds, I was standing on a step. And not a moment too soon. Another few seconds I would have been a grease spot on the pavement below.

For those of you who haven't stood on an invisible step before (which I would assume would be all of you) it's really weird. There's nothing below you, and it feels like your floating in mid air.

_I better get down before I freak out some random pedestrian._

I imagined another step, then another, each closer to the ground than the one before it. In no time at all, I was back on the pavement, in one piece, thank Thoth.

Now, for faze two. I ran through the crowded streets of New York, earning a couple of death glares and some pretty colorful words. Man, why couldn't I have taken a cab?

Finally, I arrived to the museum, the same museum where Sadie and I met Zia…for the second time. The streets were crowded, but the museum was dark and deserted. Well, what did I expect? It's, like, three in the morning.

_How am I going to get to Zia now?_

I could try to sneak my way in, but with all the security, my chances of succeeding were pretty slim. Or I could always bang on the door until some guard comes by and opens the door. Then, I could knock him out and get to the pyramid.

Again, stupid idea. Ra only knows how many security cameras are in there. I wouldn't last a minute. Besides, I didn't want to hurt anyone.

_Well, that's it. I'll just have to wait till morning._ _But there is one other way…_

I flashed back to when we first met Bast, when she turned from Sadie's cat, Muffin, into this knife-throwing-cat woman and destroyed the two serpopards in our uncle's living room. I don't know why I started thinking of this…but something must have happened then that was important. What had Bast said?

Suddenly, everything around me disappeared, and I was standing in Amos's ruined mansion. I heard someone talking hurriedly behind me, but when I turned around, I thought I would have a heart attack. Why? Because I was staring at _myself._

It was me, Sadie, and Bast. We were standing in the middle of the Great Room, and I (well, the other me) was wearing my loose linen robes, the ones I had found in my closet my first day at the 21st Nome. My hair was sticking out at severe angles, like I had just woken up. Sadie was dressed the same way, in her long, linen robes, along with her combat boots. She had a red streak in her hair, and looked like she had just seen a ghost. With a start, I remembered this scene. It was Christmas Day. The monsters had just attacked. Muffin had turned into Bast, and she was trying to get us to leave while we still had time. I was seriously having some major déjà-vu.

If you've ever seen yourself in a movie, then you sort of have an idea how I felt, only I knew I _wasn't_ watching a movie. I was really reliving it, the day when my life changed forever. Besides the fact that I was super freaked out, I didn't run. For one, I (no, the other me) was more scared than I was, and he couldn't even see me. Whatever this was, it had to be important, so I stood there and listened.

"_Worse? _Who-how-what-" The other me stammered.

"All in good time," The past-Bast said. "So good to be in human form again! Now, Sadie, can you open us a door through the Duat, please?"

Sadie stared at her. "Um…no. I mean-I don't know how."

Bast looked at her, disappointed. "Shame. We'll need more power, then. An obelisk…"

Then the scene dissolved, and a split-second later, I was standing back on the sidewalk outside the museum. As far as I could tell, no time had passed, but I knew what had happened: someone, or something, wanted me to see that little episode, so it was obviously important…but why? All that happened was me stammering to Bast and Bast asking Sadie to open a portal. What's so special about-

I hit my forehead for my stupidity.

Of course! Bast asked Sadie to open a portal to the Duat, but since Sadie didn't know how, so she had to use an obelisk. This means if I can't use an obelisk, I'll just have to summon a portal to the Duat instead, which is just what Zia had done when she took us to Luxor!

My only problem: I had no idea _how_ to summon a portal.

We had been practicing summoning portals from obelisks for a while now, but I never really got the hang of it. Now I had no obelisk, no help, and absolutely no idea what I was doing.

_No better time like the present, Carter._

Okay. Think, Carter. Concentrate.

I raised my hands in the air and yelled "Portal please! To Zia Rashid's village in Egypt!"

Silence. I was getting agitated. I threw my hands up and yelled, "Hellooo! Earth to the Duat! Portal, ASAP! Like…right now!" Of course, nothing happened. I did get a few weird looks from the hobos across the street though.

_Great, not only didn't I summon anything, but I made a fool out of myself in the process_.

But I wasn't giving up.

I took a deep breath and cleared my mind, the way I usually do when I try to relax. I remembered what it was like I traveled through the Duat: the creepy moans, the intense, blinding speed, the screams, the feeling like you're being watched, the strange connection you feel while you're traveling- and then, something DID happen. I felt a tug in my gut, like someone was tying a knot in my stomach. Suddenly, a familiar humming sound buzzed in my ears. When I opened my eyes, I saw a swirling vortex of sand, tugging at me with its invisible force. I, Carter Kane, had summoned a portal to the Duat.

I took one last look at the darkened museum, just before I was sucked into the chaotic portal above.

_Egypt, here I come._

*::*::*

**HE'S ALMOST THERE! I'm dying of excitement! Hey, I know as much as you do. I make it up as I go along ;) and I can't WAIT until May 3rd (already marked it on my calendar!) In case you dont know, that's the date the next KC book is coming out and they are really searching for the Book of Ra (which I did NOT copy! i've had this idea forever!) I CAN'T WAIT! Meanwhile, i have this story to write. Yeah...give me the book any day ;) REVIEW OR I WILL THROW YOU INTO A SWIRLING VORTEX OF TERROR!**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	5. Chapter 5

**HI GUYS! THIS IS THE LONGEST CHAPTER I'VE EVER WRITTEN (over 3,800 words! woohoo!) SO ENJOY!**

**This is dedicated to RyderKillgallon because she wanted longer chapters. well...is this long enough? ;) It's also for all you guys who review for every story. You know who you are :) Thanks everyone! This is my favorite chapter so far, so tell me what you think:)**

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Traveling through the Duat was just as I remembered it, that is to say, it was totally awesome. One moment I was flying at lightning speed, then the next I was falling face first into the desert sand.

"Ouch," I muttered as I brushed the dust off my clothes. "I seriously have to work on my landings."

When I stood, I realized I was in the exact place as my dream: the destroyed, mud-brick houses, the river…

_But where's Zia?_

The sun was beginning to rise, and I squinted as I looked onto the barren landscape. There was nothing for miles. Zia had to be around her somewhere, but where…?

The river? Nah, why would Iskandar hide Zia underwater? Besides, rivers are constantly drying up in Egypt. It would be too dangerous to leave her in there, anyway. It wouldn't be like Iskandar to place Zia underwater, and then say, "Oops! I forgot she can't breathe! So much for that plan!" Yeah, just a minor set-back.

Where else? Under the rubble? Nah, too risky. By the bank? Too obvious.

I felt like I was forgetting something, like some vital piece to a puzzle. I replayed my dream again in my head. Everything was blurry, but I could make out important parts, like my ba traveling over the desert, and Zia by the river…

All of a sudden, everything became clearer, like I was reliving my vision. Zia had just asked me to step out of the water. I walked out, and met her by the cave and…

Gods! Spending time with Sadie must seriously be affecting my brain. How had I forgotten?

I ran through the river to the over side of the sandy bank where Zia and I had talked. What I saw, though, had me baffled. Where was the cave? It was supposed to be by the river…

I guess I should explain the river a little more, though, so it would be easier to picture for those who weren't there [Yes, Sadie. That would be everyone, _including_ you. Now stop interrupting!]

The river's height had decreased greatly of course, so it was more like a small stream within an eight-foot deep, muddy trench than a river. One side was level with the ground; the side where the ruined houses were. The river had obviously overflowed at one point or another, which hadn't helped preserve the already-ruined homes. The other side was much steeper, and much more slippery. I tried to climb it so I could get a better look from the other side, but _nooo_. I just kept sliding back down into the muddy, sluggish-moving water. So much for _that._

I could've sworn there was a cave there, right into the side of the bank. But where had it gone? I searched the bank over and over again, but found nothing. This was impossible! All there was here was a few rocks and pounds of water and wet, slippery sand. To top it all off, I was going insane! Caves don't just disappear, Carter. The only answer is that you've gone what Sadie would call "absolutely luney!"

I was about to summon another portal and get the heck out of there when a rock in the stream caught my eye. It was your ordinary rock: rough, multicolored and worn down from years of weathering. As I looked closer however, I noticed a symbol, sketched lightly in gold. It looked like a large goblet with a half horizontal circle and an oval next to it.

I caught my breath as I stared at the elaborate markings.

It was the hieroglyphic spelling for Nephthys.

_This is it, Carter. It has to be._

Still holding my breath, I placed my hand into the bitter water and touched the golden symbols. The moment my flesh touch the inscriptions in the rock, the earth began to shake.

Startled, I leaped out of the river. I watched in awe as the rock slowly sunk back into the earth. Within moments, it had disappeared, and I noticed that the rock wasn't the only thing that had changed about the barren landscape. The side of the river had collapsed, revealing a small, dark cave carved right into the sandy bank of the river. For the first time in a while, I wasn't scared. Instead, I curiously walked across the river and went straight into the wet, damp cave without a moment's hesitation. Before I continued deeper however, I looked back at the abandoned village. I promised myself I would not come back out without Zia…

…and I never break a promise.

*::*::*

The cave was not a place I would have wanted to spend a year in. It may be in Egypt in the middle of a desert, but gods, it was humid in there. I was sweating bullets within a minute in the stuffy, confined space. The narrow cave continued in a winding, never ending pattern. Total darkness laid ahead of me. From what I could see, hieroglyphics blanketed the worn, sandy walls, but I didn't stop to read them. I _had_ to find Zia, and I would _not_ wait another day, let alone another year. I had so many questions to ask her and-

"_And…?"_My conscience prodded.

_And…oh, shut up._

I liked Zia; I admitted it to myself long ago. She saved our lives, after all. I owed her, _big time._ Besides…I haven't had friends since I was eight, and even then I often felt alone. But Zia…she understood how I felt. We had never gone to high school, never used a locker, never sat in a lunchroom and complained about teachers or discussed the latest movies. I mean, who could we talk to? I loved my dad, but he could never understand how I felt. And what about Zia? I mean, at least I had some family and some memories to grasp when I needed them most. All Zia had were a few aged photographs and the forgotten stories Iskandar would tell her. She must have felt so alone. And even if she did have a home, she must have felt like she didn't belong…like I did. She's the only one who could truly understand what I've been through, just like I understand her. Sadie's alright…but she can't look past the fact that I lived with dad. I'd give anything for the life Sadie had; friends, a home, a sense of belonging…and something tells me Zia would too.

"_Get over her, Carter! You never knew the real Zia, remember? She was _clay_! She lied to you. End of story."_

_Shut up!_

Sure, Zia was a shabti, but what if she didn't know she was? What if she believed she was still herself? I _know_ she would have done something if she knew she was hosting a goddess. She would have searched for her real self and destroyed the goddess once and for all…for the House of Life. It was her home, after all. But Iskandar…he knew Zia would remain loyal to the House, so he didn't tell her. He let her believe she was still herself and continue her duties. He knew she'd do the right thing; that's why he hid her. So she could save the world and remain safe at the same time. Zia was all Iskandar had left.

My feet started to ache and I suddenly remembered where I was. I was still trudging through the endless cave; searching...

"_Searching for _what_, Carter? There's nothing here. Turn back!"_my conscience shouted.

_Is there something in _"shut up" _that you don't understand?_

She HAD to be here. She just had to be.

I continued on, sweating and tired. I hadn't gotten much sleep after all, and creating your own portal takes a lot out of you. My throat was dry and I felt like I hadn't eaten in days. Just as I was about to summon some drinking water, I caught a glimpse of light up ahead. I broke into a run, and in moments, I found myself before a door with a lit torch on both sides. Yes, lit torches in the middle of a cave that looked like it had been sealed shut for centuries. Not exactly the most comforting sign. To top it off, they weren't even normal torches. They glowed with a fiery, blue light that made the deserted room look eerie and mysterious. The door was even stranger. It was covered in teal-colored hieroglyphics, and when I say covered, I mean a shroud of symbols from floor to ceiling.

I stared in awe at the entry, not for its appearance, but for what lay beyond it.

_This is it._

In a trance, I placed my hand on the elaborate markings. I gasped at how hot they were…like fire. Suddenly, the rock began to crumble around my hand, like ice cracking under your feet.

"_Open_," I whispered, and I pressed my hand into the door.

There was a silence, one that was both frightening and exciting. I had trouble breathing. After a few moments, the deathly quiet sound was broken by a hum, that grew louder and louder until I thought I'd lose my hearing all together. Then the door broke apart, splitting into millions of burning blue pieces of quartz.

Silence.

The light of the hieroglyphics died.

The spell had been broken…

_And I wasn't alone._

Stunned, I stepped over the rubble, into the darkened room ahead.

*::*::*

Walking into the chamber was like walking on the dark side of the moon.

If I hadn't taken a torch from the entrance, I wouldn't have been able to see an inch in front of me. Even with the fire, the room still looked tenebrous. There was nothing in there…except for the large, golden sarcophagus in the center of the chamber on a circular dais. They illuminated the room with a strange, cobalt-colored light, and the silence returned. I felt like something was watching me…waiting for me to make my move. I stepped onto the dais.

Like the walls and the door of the chamber, the cover of the sarcophagus was blanketed in teal hieroglyphics. I can only read a few hieroglyphics myself, but I knew that if Sadie was here, she could read them all. I shook off the thought.

_You have work to do, Carter. Search now, think later._

My eyes examined the symbols on the sarcophagus, searching for symbols I recognized. I was shooting for a familiar hieroglyphic for a pharaoh, like Tutankhamen or Ramesses or something, but instead, I found something I wasn't expecting. Near the top left of the cover, larger than most of the other symbols was one sign I recognized, but had be baffled all the same. It was a half circle with a handle on top of a curved, jagged line.

The hieroglyphic symbol for KN, also known as Kane.

I stared at the symbol, stunned. Why was our name on this sarcophagus? Who was really in there?

Before I found the courage to open the coffin, I noticed its sides, and once again became distracted. All four sides of the Egyptian coffin were covered in paintings, just like the ancient Egyptians had painted them, only these ones looked new and gleamed in the eerie torchlight. As I looked closer however, my heart nearly stopped. I recognized these paintings, and not from any books or museum my dad had dragged me into. In fact, I'd never seen them before in my life, but I could distinguish them all the same.

Why? Because they were events in _my_ life.

Well, not all of them were, but many I recognized. Like on the left longest side for instance, there was a painting of a boy with copper-colored skin next to a blond haired girl. The young girl had a stylus in her hand, and a substance that looked suspiciously like fire seemed to erupt from the writing utensil. Another girl stood next to them, pointing at the stylus like she was teaching them how to write with it. The blond was cute, but this girl was absolutely beautiful. At first I thought she was Nephthys because of the symbol above her head; the same I had seen on the rock in the river, but I had seen paintings of the goddess, and she looked nothing like the girl on the sarcophagus. For one, this girl looking strangely familiar somehow…in fact, I'd even say she reminded me of Zia. Her amber eyes were outlined with Egyptian kohl, and her black hair (unlike Nephythys' hair which was long) was shoulder length. To make things even stranger, the girl in the painting didn't even look Egyptian. In fact, I'd say her features looked almost…Arab.

_Just like Zia._

I pushed the thought aside. This couldn't be Zia. It couldn't. Besides, if it was, that would mean the boy and girl in the picture were-

_Gods Carter. It's just a painting. Nothing to agonize over_.

Still, that girl looked an awful lot like Zia…

I glanced at the next painting. There was the boy and the blond haired girl again. They were in the middle of the ruins of a temple, facing each other as if they were having a conversation while they each stood inside a circle, outlined in chalk. I suddenly recognized the circles, and a sickening realization hit me. The people in the painting weren't talking; they were preparing for a duel. I cautiously turned my attention to the painting alongside it. The blond was furthest away. In front of her was a she-lion, its hideous maw inches from the boys face…only it would have been, if the boy had been on ground. Instead, he was several feet in the air, and looked almost as if he was in a hologram of a chicken. Wait…not a chicken.

_A falcon._

His curved sword…his _khopesh_ was in mid swing, inches from the she-lion, yet in the next scene, the feline was nothing more than a pile of sand. A sliced staff lay at his feet.

The black haired girl stood from afar, staring at the boy in awe.

And I knew exactly what would happen next.

The next painting was mostly of the black haired girl with other magicians I didn't recognize. The boy showed up a few more times too, but this time he had an eye of Horus over his head. Even the blond haired girl had a symbol; an angel-like marking for Isis.

There was a painting with the threesome by a salsa warehouse, then a fiery, red pyramid, and another by the Washington Monument...

I sighed and looked anyway. I couldn't look at the paintings anymore. Each one brought back painful memories, memories I had been trying to forget.

I just couldn't believe...I mean...that was _me_ in those paintings! No question about it. Me and Sadie and Zia. How…?

These paintings were new, in fact, they couldn't be more than a year old. I mean, these events hadn't happened until last year…and yet Zia had been hidden before they happened. How could Iskandar have known? How could he have painted these pictures before they even occurred? And if Iskandar made the sarcophagus…that would mean Zia…

I stared at the glowing object before me.

I knew exactly where Zia was.

And she was just two feet in front of me.

Cautiously I stepped toward the sarcophagus and placed both shaking hands on its cover, which was surprisingly warm. Well, warm probably isn't the best word for it. How about scalding? Yes, that's the word.

Holding the sarcophagus was like taking a dip in boiling water. Steam seemed to coil around my hands. Another few seconds grasping that thing and I would be known as Handless Carter.

With a yelp, I released the cover and almost fell off the dais. After regaining my balance, I reached for my dad's workbag that was slung around my shoulder. Then I pulled out my father's Egyptian wand and blew on the tip, the way you'd blow out a birthday candle, while imagining I was in the Arctic.

Now, I've never been there, but it doesn't take a genius to know the Arctic is ridiculously cold. I pretended I was standing by a nearly frozen ocean. I could see my breath and the snowy icebergs in the distance. I could hear the gentle swishing of the waves and the howl of the wind. I could feel the chill, taste the snow on my tongue, and smell a campfire, miles away. As soon as my breath touched the tip, the entire wand froze. In no time, the wood was covered in a thin layer of ice. I placed the end of the wand on the lid of the sweltering sarcophagus.

When the icy tip touched the cover, steam erupted from the coffin. I waited a few moments, and then gingerly placed a finger on a hieroglyphic. To my delight, it was greatly cooler than it was before, cool enough to grasp without getting your fingers burned off. I shook off the pain on my burned hands and carefully lifted the dust blanketed lid off the sarcophagus. After a minute or so of some serious lifting, I finally placed the one-hundred-pound lid on the sandy, tiled floor.

_"Well?"_my conscience finally asked._"Aren't you gonna look and see who's inside?"_

That's when I realized I hadn't gotten up from the floor. My muscles ached after carrying the golden lid [Hey, that thing weighed a ton!] but that wasn't what was holding me back. I was...confused? No, that wasn't it. I felt...scared. But not because of who I may find however, because i had a feeling I knew who would be in there already. Call me a coward if you want, but the real reason I didn't move was because I was worried...scared that it wouldn't be my Zia in that sarcophagus, the Zia I had known a year ago, the Zia I laughed with in the shrine, the Zia that saved our lives...and the Zia who gave up everything to come back and help us. What if that Zia had disappeared long ago, like my mother, my father, and my old life? What if the person I would discover was someone I had never really met; a stranger?

I'm not sure if I could take another loss. First my mom, then my sister for six years, then my dad...

I flinched at the thought of my father. Could I bare another death from someone I...someone I cared for?

Then I remembered how much Zia had done for us, how much she'd sacrificed. That decided it. If it wasn't the Zia I had known in that coffin, then fine. I'd help her, all the same. I owed it her, even if the girl I knew really was only a memory.

I took a deep breath, counted to three, and then rose, ever so slowly...

...and opened my eyes.

There she was.

_It was her._

In the sarcophagus laid a girl, fifteen or so. She wore dark blue robes and a golden headscarf over her smooth, ebony hair. I recognized her clothes...they were what she wore that Christmas by Cleopatra's Needle, the first time I saw her, right before the explosion. The day it all began.

_"Zia?"_I whispered.

She was sleeping, that I could tell. Her eyes were closed, and her chest rose and fell steadily. For once, Zia Rashid looked peaceful, without a care in the world...like a normal, sleeping teen.

All that disappeared when a loud, ferocious roar shook the earth. My hand gripped the side of the sarcophagus as a blinding white light filled the room. The entire chamber began to shake...

...and Zia Rashid opened her eyes.

*::*::*

**This is by far the longest one I've written so far. Happy, ****RyderKillgallon? I would hope so. ;)**

**REVIEW GUYS! I could use some reviews for this one. All you have to do is click the button, people! Just one word, that's all you need: sux, cool, awesome, baaad, ANYTHING. You only have to do it once! Just say something, because quite frankly…YOUR OPINION MATTERS, AND I WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK! I seriously worked forever on this, and I'd like to hear some feedback. If you do, I give you some of the cookies I seriously JUST made. Yum. REVIEW PLEASE AND...**

**HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2010!**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Oh Thoth! I am SO sorry I took so long! I've been so busy and-well, you probably want to just read the story instead of listening to my lame excuses, right? ENJOY AND SORRY FOR THE WAIT! I'll be updating waaay sooner! :)**

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"Umm…"

Despite the fact that I'd been longing to talk to Zia all year, I had absolutely no idea what to say to her right then in a creepy tomb underneath the desert. The moment she opened her amber eyes, my mind sorta went blank.

At first she looked surprised, but then her expression turned confused.

"Carter?" Zia mouthed. She stared up at me and smiled. My heart leaped.

I couldn't believe it_. __She remembers my name?_

Before I could put the pieces of the puzzle together in my mind, Zia's expression went from joyful to…what was it? Anger? No…it was fear.

She sat up the sarcophagus. "Carter! What are you _doing_ here? I told you-"

_Here we go again._ "Yeah, well, I was in the neighborhood, so-"

"You were visiting an _abandoned village_?" Zia asked skeptically.

_Oh Thoth._ "Yeah…about that-"

I was interrupted by a jaw-rattling roar that shook the earth.

Now I know what people mean by "saved by the bell," only this time, relief wasn't what I was thinking_._ Zia and I both looked at each other. That blood chilling sound was the exact same one in my dream, the one that had Zia been so spooked about last night.

"Yeah, can we finish this fight later? That's our cue to go," I said, staring uneasily at the ceiling.

Zia nodded. Now, for someone who's been locked up in a cave for a year, Zia looked great. In fact, it took her only a millisecond to realize what was happening, leap out of the sarcophagus and run...about three feet before collapsing. I caught her before she hit the marble floor.

"Hey, are you alright?"

"In a moment I won't be," Zia whispered, pointing at the ceiling that was about to collapse.

"Oh. Right," I muttered, feeling stupid again. Then I broke into a run, pulling Zia along with me. And not a moment too soon.

A few more seconds in the chamber and we'd have first class tickets to the Land of the Dead, but Zia and I were out the door (or what was left of it, anyway) and ran as fast as our legs would take us before the ceiling caved in.

"Looks like you won't be sleeping in there anymore," I panted as I dodged a ton of falling sand on my left. Zia didn't respond, and I couldn't help but wonder what it was like to be trapped down there all year, completely and utterly alone.

*::*::*

After a few minutes of dodging BMW –size boulders and tons of damp, heavy sand, I finally built up the courage to talk to her.

"Hey, while we're running for our lives, would you mind telling me why you didn't want to be found?" I asked, turning around to see her_._

"_Good, Carter_. Great_ timing." _My conscience mocked.

_Hey, I'd like to see YOU try to talk to someone who's been gone for a year! Now shut your face!_

"_You mean _your _face. I'm _YOUR _conscience, remember?"_

I glanced at Zia again; who I realized was studying me with those piercing, amber eyes of hers. But something was different about them. Her eyes, usually looking confident and strong, were now full of worry and her face was beaded with sweat. "_That's_ why." she murmured, motioning towards the exit.

When I looked at the cave entrance, I thought I'd have a heart attack, because standing in the river was one of the most hideous monsters I've ever seen, and that's saying something, because I've had my share of run ins with some of the ugliest Uglies the Duat has to offer.

Its body was pretty normal with glistening, deathly black colored fur that resembled a feline's fur coat, but everything else was completely wrong. Instead of four paws, this creature's legs looked more like Mother Nature's nightmare.

The front legs were ordinary for demons, with razor-sharp claws that could rip me to bits. Where its back legs should be though was a long, trunk-like…thing, sort of like a snake, only this creature's hind quarters was scaly AND deadly. Its tail had a death-black stinger, sharper than I would have thought possible, and it was dripping a sickly green substance, something that looked suspiciously like poison. It flicked around at blinding speed, like a scorpion. The monster's upper half was like a jaguar's: sleek, black fur with bulging, flexing muscles as it stalked the deserted village. Its red eyes glowed in sunken, swollen sockets.

Zia looked at the monster, her worried eyes now accompanied with pain.

That's when I realized this creature was more than just major bad luck. This was the monster that her father accidently released on this village. The monster that had killed her parents, her friends, and her entire community. Now it was back from the Duat to finish what it had started. It wanted Zia…and probably any stupid magician who would stand in its way.

And that's what I was here for.

_One stupid magician, coming right up!_

I was not going to lose Zia again. This demon was going to have to learn its lesson the hard way. I took a step towards the entrance.

Zia grabbed my arm. Her grip was so weak, and I figured she didn't have much energy left. She looked at me pleadingly. "Carter, _please_. It took dozens of magicians to defeat this creature. What chance do you have, alone, tired, and in the middle of an abandoned village? No magicians from the House will be coming this time. Our only chance is to go! _Now!"_

"Fight now, run later," I whispered. "I'm going in. Stay here."

"Carter, no! You'll be killed!"

I smiled. "Thanks for reminding me."

I could handle this. This is what I've been training for, after all. Should be a piece of cake, right?

I stepped out of the damp cave into the river, ignoring Zia's frantic whispers. "Here kitty, kitty, kitty!"

The creature turned to face me at unnatural speed. It had been sniffing under a ruined hut, its back to me. But now, I found myself faced with razor-sharp fangs, all yellow and covered in…well, whatever the demon's last meal was. Its eyes, like I said, were blood red, like they were made of fire itself, and yet, when its eyes met mine, I instantly felt unnaturally cold, as if death was just around the corner. I wondered how many people felt this chill right before they were eaten by a scaguarke (That's what I named it: half scorpion, half jaguar, half snake. Creative, huh?).This thing made Leroy look like a playful, adorable puppy dog.

The beast roared a jaw-rattling roar, spewing green saliva everywhere. In a matter of seconds, I was covered in green glop.

"Ugh! Gross!" I muttered, the haunting eyes forgotten. "You're gonna pay for that."

I trudged through the water. My game plan was to get on land and summon the awesome avatar warrior thing I used to do with Horus and slice this kitty into pieces before the sun rises. (And no, this didn't leave once the God left my head. I'm taking the path of Horus, after all. That's the whole point of taking a path of a God or Goddess: to learn to use their power without blowing up or having them take over your body. The greatest accomplishment is to have perfect balance with your minds and truly becoming one with them. Since I already did that last year, I'm onto phase two: using Horus' power for my own reasons without an annoying God invading my brain in the process. Or at least, I think it's phase two. Most people don't survive phase one anyway, so I guess I'm on my own on this one…except for Sadie of course).

Anyway, I was going to go into avatar-warrior mode when things went horribly wrong. The creature cut me off before I could get out of the river. The side behind me was too steep to climb over. I'd be dead before I even slipped back into the water. My only other option was the cave, but that would mean leading the monster to Zia, and that was something I would NOT do.

"_You do have a Plan B…right?"_

_I'm working on it._

The scaguarke must have thought it was his lucky day, because he was already licking his lips and eyeing me as if wondering if I'd go well with ketchup or mustard.

Water never really was one of my strengths, but I didn't really have a choice. I summoned my falcon avatar and took out my khopesh. Then I swung it with my entire mite down on the creature who was momentarily shocked. Not a moment later, it gave me a mischievous look, as if he was saying, _"Woah, fast food, huh?"_and leaped out of the way a millisecond before my blade would have sliced him to pieces. As fast as lightning, it turned around to face me, saliva running down its chin and tail flicking violently is every direction.

_This is going to get very interesting._

I charged, only in avatar form, I might as well have been a snail. I felt like I was running through jello, so it was really a waste of my time. The beast seemed to find my entire presence amusing, as if I was no match for him and he was taking his time killing me.

Well, that made me angry. I've been training all year in combat magic. Why don't I use that now? I'm better than this mutant feline.

The only problem was that I've never actually been in a one-on-one fight with nothing but a sword and a wand. An avatar always made me feel powerful and secure. Now I realized it wouldn't be enough.

I thought all this as I hacked and swung wildly at the creature, only to miss every time as it dodged me again and again. This had to end. It wouldn't be long before he smelled Zia, and then we'd both be dead.

Finally, I made my decision. I broke my concentration and dropped to the ground.

The scaguarke looked at me like I was insane. Then it began to circle me, and I had a bad feeling it was no longer playing with its food. In a few seconds, I'd be dead meat. I could feel Zia's gaze on me. She was about to step into the open. I cursed. Was she insane?

_This is it, Carter. Now or never._

"Here goes nothing." I muttered, and with that, I charged at the creature, whose eyes widened in surprise. With astonishing speed, I hacked and sliced, occasionally cutting the beast's coarse fur while avoiding the flailing stinger of death. That thing _had_ to go. I waited until the scaguarke turned around, and then leaped onto its back, slicing its stinger off in the process just before it would have cut me in half. The problem? Well, apparently ten foot long stingers are heavier than they used to be, because when the stinger fell, it wrenched the sword out of my hand before I could pull it out of the flesh, bringing my weapon down to the ground with it. The creature screeched in pain and clawed at me, but I was out of his reach. Granted, I was weaponless and almost out of energy, but I was safe for now, right?

Who was I kidding; I'd be toast in a matter of seconds. All it had to do is roll over, or stand up so I's slide off, or shake violently and-

As if reading my thoughts, the creature began to shake viciously, trying to get me off. Now, I'd never actually gone bull riding, but I'd say the experience of riding a scaguarke was ten times more difficult and ten times more painful. With each shake, my muscles ached and I felt like I'd fall off at any moment. Yet it was my nose that hurt most of all.

Now, I'm telling you, a scaguarke smells way worse when you're up close and personal with the eon old meat eater. Gods, did he ever hear of baths?

_Wait a minute…that's it!_

"Man, I hope you're more feline than reptile." I muttered as I grabbed its black, pointed ears. They must have been sensitive, because the demon roared in agony as I pulled them in the direction of the river. Obediently, the scaguarke followed, but it was kicking and clawing at me the whole way. By the time we reached the river, my whole body ached and I was almost deaf from the loud, painful roars the demon was making. I knew I wouldn't last much longer.

From the bank, I could see the blurry form of Zia, watching from afar. I smiled at her and managed to take my wand out of my pocket. The water was far too shallow. I needed it deeper, and I also needed a force strong enough to get this ten ton reluctant demon into the river. What I needed was some magic.

I drew a complex hieroglyphic in the air, taking the magic from my own reserves. It was risky, but it was all I had left. From inside the cave, I heard Zia's scream echo over and over. "Carter, _no__!"_

I look up at the fiery hieroglyphic as it faded into nothing.

Instantly, I felt like a ton of invisible bricks had rammed into me, and the creature and I both towards the darkened water below. The last thing I can remember was the sun rising in the east over the abandoned village and a vision of Zia, limping towards me, screaming my name. Then the world disappeared under the murky water, and everything went black.

*::*::*

**Now the adventure can finally begin! Again, so sorry it took so long! I've had the two busiest weeks of my life, and it's not even over yet! I better get studying for my three tests tomorrow, but I just thought I'd update before I get "hooked" reading complex algebra problems. Tempting, right? ;) ****In case I don't update till Christmas (ah! 9 days away!) I will wish you all…**

*****HAPPY HOLIDAYS!*****

**Love,**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**

**P.S. All I want for Christmas are reviews! They don't even need to be wrapped! Just click the button! ;)**


	7. Chapter 7

**MERRY CHRISTMAS!****(okay, it's only Christmas Eve, but whatever!) ****THIS IS MY CHRISTMAS PRESENT TO YOU ALL! **** HOPE YOU LIKE IT!**

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I woke up thinking I was drowning. My whole body ached, and I felt like I had gone through the washer. My head was spinning like the dirty clothes as they turn around and around in the machine. I groaned and instinctively reached for my alarm clock, but grasped a handful of sand instead that slipped through my scarred, rough hands. I cocked my head in confusion and stared up at a cloudless, blue sky. Just then, I heard a scream that made me jump a foot in the air.

"Carter? _Carter!_ Oh, thank Ra!"

I knew that voice, but it didn't make any sense. I must be dreaming, I decided, and lay back onto the hot desert sand. A moment later I got a kick in the shin that almost gave me a heart attack.

"What the heck?" I yelped, turning around to face my attacker. Zia was glaring down at me, her hands on her hips.

_Zia?_

Just then, all of last night's events came crashing down on me, taking my breath away.

_Zia. Here. Oh my gods! I found_ _her!_

"Zia! You're _alive!_" I exclaimed, leaping to my feet.

Zia rolled her eyes. "Of course I'm alive you _idiot_! _You're_ the one that stupidly attacked an ancient, deadly demon from the Duat! _You're_ the one that almost drowned!"

That was not the response I was expecting. "I was trying to save you! _Sorry_ if I committed some sort of crime!"

"Stupidity was _your_ crime, Carter Kane!" Zia snapped, stepping towards me.

"Well, it worked didn't it? The least you can do is feel a _little _grateful!" We were nose to nose, and I had to focus real hard on my anger or I'd lose myself in those eyes.

"Maybe I would have been if you had _listened_ to me! Why couldn't you have just _listened_ and looked for the _book_?"

"Gods, Zia! I was-" I was what? Why _did_ I come here?

"You know what? I don't know. Maybe I was wrong about you, Zia. Maybe I _was_ being stupid." I turned my back on her and walked towards the river; fuming. I sat down by the bank and looked at the endless desert before me. So much for THAT mission. What was I thinking? Zia was right. I _was_ stupid. Stupid to go looking for a girl I knew for only a couple days. Stupid for constantly thinking about her. Stupid for traveling to Egypt, exploring an abandoned tomb, and fighting an ancient killing machine. And _extremely_ stupid for thinking she'd care. I was a complete loser.

Zia sat down next to me and sighed. I hadn't heard her walk up.

"Carter…I'm sorry," she whispered. Something in her voice made me look at her. Sand was sprinkled in her black hair and she was frailer than usual, but gods, was she beautiful.

"I-I was just worried," she continued. "That's why I didn't want you coming here. I knew the creature was out there and…and I didn't want you to get hurt, okay? I was scared for you."

I was still trying to register the fact that she had been worried about me, so I didn't answer right away. Zia must have taken that as me still being angry, so she continued.

"I should have known you'd come. Gods, Carter, you're stubborn! But I really _am_ grateful. You have no idea how much I thought of leaving…but never could. When you came…Carter, of _course_ I was grateful! Then you went out there alone and…and then you fell into the river…gods, I thought you were dead!" Her voice caught at the end and I instantly felt horrible. Did I mention I was really, _really_ stupid?

"Zia…Zia I'm sorry. I didn't realize-"

"No," Zia said firmly, raising her hand. "_I'm_ sorry. It just scared me, that's all. I should have thanked you before…but, thank you, Carter," she said, looking up at me. "For everything."

Then the weirdest thing happened. I'm not gonna lie. I seriously wanted to kiss her, and I never have kissed a girl in my life. I hadn't even seen her for a year, yet for some reason I felt like I had known her forever. I felt myself moving closer to her…or was she moving closer to me? Zia's wide, amber eyes stared back and me, and I felt my mind go blank. Before I could even react, she leaped up off the ground. "We better get going." She stammered.

"Right," I sighed. "Sadie's gonna kill me."

Zia smiled at that. "Ah, yes. Who could forget your sister?"

I couldn't help but smile also. Yes, who could forget a girl with blond, red streaked hair, combat boots, and a personality like Sadie's? You'd have to get a pretty strong concussion to forget _my _sister. [Hey! That was a _compliment_!]

"One problem," I said. "I got here by summoning a portal, and there's no way either of us are going to be able to summon one anytime soon. There's not even a pyramid or obelisk for miles, and we have no food, no water, and absolutely no means of transportation. We're toast." I concluded, glaring at the sun.

Zia squinted up towards the sky."If we stay in this heat, then yes, Carter, we _will_ be toast. But aren't you forgetting something? The Kanes never have trouble finding a ride, if I do recall."

_We do?_ I tried to think of last year, when we were saving the earth from worldwide chaos. Then, I remembered the day it all began, on Christmas Eve. Sadie and I were at the Faust's flat being questioned by the police. Dad had just blown up the Rosetta Stone and disappeared in the sarcophagus. I shuddered at the memory and realized that was the last time I saw my dad alive. Just thinking out him depressed me.

"_Come on, Carter. In the middle of a desert, here!" _My conscience complained, breaking me out of the memory.

_Right._ So we were in England and…and Amos came. He got the officers to leave and we went to New York. What's so special about-

My eyes widened and I looked at Zia. "You mean the boat? Amos's reed boat?"

Zia smiled. "He's your uncle, is he not? You'll be able to summon it now that your powers are stronger. We'll use the Nile. You're far too tired to make it fly." She said, pointing towards the river.

"_That's_ the Nile?" I asked, totally shocked. "But it's so…small." I had seen the Nile many times, but it was always vast and…well, _big_.

Zia looked at the water sadly. "It's drying up everywhere. If only you could have seen it here when I was little. It was so beautiful."

Now I was totally confused. "I thought you couldn't remember anything about your childhood. All you have are those pictures…"

Zia averted her eyes back to the river. "I've…been remembering things lately. It's not much, mind you, but it's something. Like I'll see an image, or hear the sound of a river or smell a certain smell, and know it was from my childhood. I can just feel it. Just recently, while I was sleeping, I saw an image of the Nile, back before the monster destroyed the village. It was amazing." Zia stared sadly at her ruined home and I knew we shouldn't stay here much longer. It was tough enough for her already, having seen the demon that killed her community and her parents.

"I'll summon the boat," I announced, stepping towards the Nile.

I took a deep breath, cleared my mind, and tried remember the first time I saw Amos's reed boat back in England. I tried to vision the two eerie lanterns that glowed on board, the coils of plant fiber that held it together, the hut in the center of the boat, the cloaked, invisible figure that manned the tiller...

Just then, I felt a cold gust of wind shoot past me. When I opened my eyes, I was starring at an Egyptian reed boat.

I instantly felt tired (Well, more tired than before). The unstable-looking boat that could easily burn to the ground from those lanterns was looking rather good at the moment. I turned to Zia.

"All aboard," I said proudly.

Zia and I boarded the reed boat and collapsed in the hut. "I never realized how tired I was," Zia said, whipping sand off her mat.

"You rest," I said gently, exiting the hut. "I'll keep watch."

Zia nodded thankfully and closed her eyes. Quietly, I approached the cloaked driver. "To the 21st Nome," I demanded.

Instantly, the boat lurched forward, and we were off. I settled down on a mat at the front of the reed boat, facing north. I looked back at the ruined village, the abandoned cave, and the shallow river. I never wanted to come back.

A moment later, the boat gained speed, and Zia's home disappeared. I never saw it again.

*::*::*

**And they're off! ;) Finally! The next chapter will be told by none other than ****Sadie ****herself (to please all you sanubis fans!****) Review guys! Like I said, it's all I want for Christmas! :) Have a safe Xmas and...**

*****HAPPY HOLIDAYS!*****

**With love,**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	8. Chapter 8

**As I promised, here's a chapter told by Sadie! Enjoy!**

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Hullo all. Don't worry, Sadie is here. You didn't think you'd be trapped hearing my brother's rubbish story telling all day, now did you? [Don't get me started on your story telling skills, Carter. I'm telling this whether you like it or _not_]. So there I was, minding my own business and teaching a bunch of magicians how to write with the Divine Words, which may sound all wonderful to you, but it was anything _BUT_. They couldn't do anything right, and I obviously don't have the patience for this sort of thing. By the end, I was ready to knock each and everyone one of them with the stylus. _Barbarians._

I was so tired after my lesson; I didn't even go and bug Carter like I usually do before curfew. Instead, I trudged up the stairs and collapsed on my bed. I didn't wake up until 7:30 in the morning, which was a blessing because Carter is always dragging me up at 6:00 for training.

"The early bird catches the worm!" He'd say. I always want to tell him that, quite frankly, I don't _want_ a worm, I _want_ sleep, but it never does any good. I always wake up to the same bloody saying, and my beauty sleep comes to an end. [Carter says that's why I look the way I do. _Ha. Ha_. Your head looks like Khufu's- OW! That was my _foot!_] _Anyway_, when I woke up so "late" that morning, I instantly found it odd.

_So he's finally sleeping in, eh? Well, it's about time._

Still, I couldn't help but feel a little concerned. Maybe he was sick. Well, he better not be. It was his turn to make dinner today, and as horrible as his cooking is, it gives me a chance to relax while he makes the meal.

I walked over to his door and knocked. Carter was always a light sleeper, so I found it extremely strange when he didn't answer the door right away.

"Carter! The worm's waiting!" I called. "Get _up!"_

Still, no answer. Who did he think he was? I was _not_ going to do all his chores today. "I'm coming in!" I yelled. Then I whispered "Sahad" and the door creaked open.

"Carter?" I whispered. I stepped into his dark room. The bed was abandoned and unmade. The door to the balcony was open, and a warm breeze blew through the door, causing pages of his latest Egyptian book to flip endlessly. I picked up the book and flipped through it. Just a bunch of Egyptian junk. I rolled my eyes at the fact that he found this interesting, and walked out to his balcony, expecting him to be sitting there, lost in thought. He'd been doing that a lot, lately, but he never slept in this late and never failed to open the door for me when I knocked.

I knew my brother was thinking based on his expressions. If he's quiet and reading about Egypt or looking at his suitcase (the one he keeps in his closet) I know he's thinking about Dad. When he's looking out into No-Where's-Land with an ever-changing look on his face (from happiness, to sadness, to confusion, then back to sadness… well you get the idea), I know he's thinking about Zia. _This_ had been happening more often than usual. He'd disappear the moment he finished training or lessons or making dinner. Sometimes, I'd go up to his room and knock, but lately, he was never there. But I never questioned him because he was always back in the morning…until now.

My brother wasn't on the balcony. He wasn't anywhere in the house, and he certainly wasn't at the store because he always leaves me a note. Where WAS he? I was very distraught. My idiot brother had disappeared. Yup, he abandoned me in a mansion with nothing but a crocodile and a baboon for company (well, besides the twenty or so magicians in training, but they're always too busy anyway).

_Please!_ What if there were robbers? [I don't care if the mansion is invisible, Carter! You never _know!_] I was in total shock. My only brother was gone, and I had absolutely no idea where he was. Some voice in the back of my head kept whispering "_Zia. Zia,_" over and over and all I knew that wherever my insane brother was, it had something to do with her. And I knew one other thing; that if I ever saw Carter alive again, I was going to kill him.

I was about to run out again when I remembered Carter's suitcase. Had he taken it? If he had, did that mean he was gone for good? I opened his closet, expecting to have to rummage through his clothes to find it, only to find the suitcase neatly tucked in a corner, along with the rest of his belongings. My brother is rather odd, if you haven't figured that out yet. He's probably the only boy I know that washes behind his ears and keeps his room spotless. Sometimes, when I look at my cluttered book shelves and clothes-covered bed, I wonder if we're actually related.

Well, the suitcase was still there, but it didn't help ease my nerves. Did that mean he had to leave immediately? Was it an emergency? Thousands of questions flooded my mind, but in the end, I realized I had only one choice: to trust Carter. What else could I do? I had no idea where he was. For all I knew, he could be magician seeking with Bast in Benin.

I was about to shut the closet door when an idea hit me. What if Carter left something in his suitcase? It was worth a shot, so I pulled it out and lugged it over to his bed.

_Gosh, why is it so heavy?_

I sat down beside the case and pushed a stray red strand of hair out of my eyes. I felt awful going through my brother's stuff, but what if there was something in there that could lead me to Carter? I took a deep breath and opened the suitcase. Once I looked inside, I wished I'd never opened it.

There was nothing even remotely exciting in the suitcase. No note from my brother, no suspicious torn articles of clothing, bloody handprints, or helpful clues. Instead, I found myself staring at a packed suitcase, full of his basic necessities and a few pairs of clothes. A wave of sadness overwhelmed me. Carter had never unpacked his suitcase. _Never_, even a year after Dad's death. He kept it packed, so he'd be ready to jump on a plane with my father at a moment's notice… like he used to. It was if he was still waiting for Dad to wake him up and bring him to another airport. Carter was waiting for Dad to come back.

That's when I realized that Carter wasn't over Dad's death like I thought he was. I mean, I knew he missed him, but I thought he had accepted it and moved on. But he hadn't. He was still waiting for another trip with my dad; one we both knew would never come.

All this time, when he made dinner for us, went food shopping, taught the magicians-in-training combat magic, helped me with my chores around the house and tucked the younger ones in bed almost every night, I just thought he was the stronger one. As Amos had put it before he left to Africa, Carter was the "man of the house."

"_That will be the day," _I had thought, but in a way, I guess he was. He took care of all us, though I'd never admit it. [Shut up, Carter. I only meant you took care of the house, that's all, so wipe that stupid smile off your face!] Becoming a magician had changed him. He was more confident and strong, more outgoing and determined. Yet some things hadn't changed, like how he still missed his old life with Dad.

I couldn't take any more of this. Carter was gone, and there was nothing I could do about it. All I could do was wait.

On that happy note, I tucked his suitcase in the corner of his closet where I promised I'd never look in it again. Then I walked out to the balcony and searched the New York skyline.

"_Carter,_" I whispered. "God, Carter, where are you?"

*::*::*

About a half an hour had passed when someone knocked urgently at the door. I leaped up to answer it, but before I could get there, Carter had already lifted the door upward like he had done the first day we arrived at the 21st Nome. Then he was running up the stairs without an explanation or _anything._

_Well, you're NOT getting away that easily._

"Where have you _been_?" I yelled after him. Carter stopped dead in his tracks and almost tripped up the stairs, which I would have found funny if I wasn't so angry. He turned around slowly and said, like the stupid brother he is, "Um…sorry?"

I rolled my eyes. "Sorry isn't gonna cut it! I was worried sick about you! What, you think you can just leave whenever you want and not even bother to _tell _me?"

Carter sighed. "Sadie, I'm really, _really_ sorry. I'll do your chores for a month, okay? But I _have_ a good reason!"

I moaned and glared up at Carter, who was now slowly backing up the stairs. "And would you mind telling me this 'good' reason for abandoning your little sister without even a bloody _note_ or _phone call_?"

"I told you, Sadie! I had a good reason…which I will explain after you get packed," he replied, and then sprinted up the stairs in the direction of his room.

"Packed? What in the name of Ra are you talking about?" I yelled after him, but Carter was already on the move. By the time I reached his room, he was opening his locker in the Duat and stuffing his suitcase in. Then he ran to his desk and began writing a hurried letter.

"Carter, what's going on?" I asked, trying to read over his shoulder.

"We have a quest," he said simply, capping his pen and sealing the letter. Then he looked at me and asked, "Aren't you packed yet?"

Now I was fuming. "What? Carter, I'm not going to embark on some stupid quest that you've told me nothing about!" But Carter only walked around me and ran into my room next door.

I sighed in exasperation and followed him. In no time at all, he was flinging open drawers and throwing clothes into my open suitcase, which I didn't even know he knew about, since I had hidden it behind the TV a year ago. It always reminded me of home, which was why I had hidden it in the first place. Before I could even protest, Carter was onto my third drawer which just so happened to be my underwear drawer, and shuddered.

"You finish it," he muttered, handing me the suitcase. "I'll tell the others and get some provisions."

I stared openmouthed at him. This was happening too fast. Where were we even going? Why were we leaving? How long would we be gone?

Before Carter ran out the door, he smiled at me and whispered, "Trust me." Then he was gone.

And what did I do, you may be asking? Again, what _could_ I do? Staying behind and letting my idiot brother mess up was obviously not an option.

I finished packing and ran downstairs, wondering what was going to happen to us and if I really wanted to hear the truth after all.

*::*::*

**So…did you like it? I for one miss Carter's point of view, but that's just me. If you like Sadie's better, then review and tell me! If I get a lot, I'll make sure to have another chapter of her POV soon. But only if I get reviews, guys! This will be the last chapter before the 2011, so…**

*****HAPPY NEW YEAR*****

**I want to thank you guys for all your supportive reviews and putting me on all sorts of alerts and favs! ;) I wouldn't be writing this if it weren't for you guys! Thanks again, and my New Year's Resolution is to make longer chapters! We'll see how that goes ;)**

**Love,**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	9. Chapter 9

**This chapter is for ILuvZarter, Nickicece, and Shadowgin for their awesome reviews! Like I said, they always make my day. If you review often and aren't up here yet, don't worry! Maybe you'll be up here in the next chapter… **

**Sorry for how long this took and thanks for reminding me! Don't worry, I haven't forgotten this story or any of you guys! Hope you like it and expect longer chapters from now on! ;)**

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We arrived back at the 21st Nome at around 8:00 AM. Zia was still asleep in the back, and I didn't have the heart to wake her. Instead, I ran inside to get supplies, and most importantly, Sadie. I found her, but she wasn't exactly in a good mood. She practically chased me around the house for answers, but I knew we didn't have time for explanations. Sadie must have realized this, because she finally shut up after I went downstairs for food. She came back fully packed with a new wad of gum in her mouth, a denim jacket, her trite, black combat boots, and her bulky suitcase. Sadie had never gotten the hang of the whole locker-in-the-Duat thing, so I had to put it in my own so she wouldn't have to lug it around everywhere. Hey, it's a big locker. I could fit an entire Set monster in there if I wanted to (long story.)

I left the fifteen year olds, our oldest magicians in training, in charge until Bast returned. There were only three of them (not including myself) but if Sadie and I could take care of things without too many problems, then they could too. Or at least, that's what I wanted to think. I couldn't get the image of a burning mansion out of my head, caused by a wand-malfunction or some magician who was stupid enough to summon fire using the Divine Words [No Sadie, I didn't mean anyone in particular!]. I certainly was not willing to ask Amos if he had invisible-house insurance.

Anyway, after we told the other magicians about our departure, Sadie and I sprinted back to our uncle's reed boat that I parked beside the back entrance to the warehouse next door. As soon as Sadie stepped onto the Egyptian boat, she let out a moan. I didn't even have to look to know that she'd seen Zia.

"So this is why you were gone all night, eh?" Sadie asked as she pointed to Zia's sleeping form in the hut. "You _sly_ dog."

I rolled my eyes. "_Very _funny, Sadie. But as a matter of fact, yes, Zia _was_ the reason I was gone last night. I got a message from her, and I went to Egypt to find her. End of story."

"Uh huh. Sure, Carter. Whatever you say." Sadie replied with a wink, and before I could protest, she grabbed a water bottle from her backpack and dumped it on Zia.

"Hey!" Zia yelled, as she hit her head on the hut.

"Sorry. Couldn't resist." Sadie said sweetly. Then she walked to the end of the boat, laughing and murmuring something about sweet revenge.

I gave Zia an apologetic look. "Sorry about her. She's insane."

"I heard that!" Sadie called from the bow.

Zia only laughed. "No, I deserved it. I did the same thing to her last year."

"Only yours was a bloody _bucket_." Sadie remarked, walking back over to us.

I had absolutely no idea what they were talking about, but I decided not to ask.

"So, what's all this about a _quest_?" Sadie asked, glaring at me. "It better be good, because I've already wasted an entire morning waiting for you."

I wanted to argue that it wasn't a _whole_ morning, because she slept through half of it, but instead, I answered, "It's about the Book of Ra_._ We're going to retrieve it."

"The book of _what_?" Sadie demanded angrily. It took all my will power to keep from cracking up because 1) that was the exact same thing I asked when Zia first told me, and 2) Sadie said this with an extremely strong British accent, so it sounded more like "The book of _whawt?" _[Hey, I tell it like it is.]

"The Book of Ra_."_ I repeated, keeping a straight face. "It's a book that explains how to defeat Apophis."

"Well, that explains a lot." Sadie said sarcastically. "Don't tell me; you have no idea where it is, so we'll just travel around the whole bloody world aimlessly until Ra pops up and hands us the book, right?"

"Wrong." Zia answered, standing up and brushing the sand off her blue robes. "Our first destination is Heliopolis."

"_Heliopolis_?" Sadie yelled, waving her hands in exasperation. "You're_ joking_! You mean the maze of crummy old tombs and such directly under Cairo? As in, the place _right next to_ the First Nome? Do you really want to go _towards_ the people who want to kill us?"

"Wouldn't be the first time." I pointed out.

Sadie sighed. "True that."

"We'll do whatever it takes to retrieve the book." Zia said. "Even if it means a few nasty run-ins with some rather powerful enemies."

"More like a_ lot _of enemies." Sadie muttered, but Zia ignored her. Then Zia turned to me and asked, "So, are you in?"

I grinned. "Well, _duh_."

Zia smiled back as Sadie rolled her eyes. We both turned and looked at her expectantly.

"Well, Sadie?" she questioned. Sadie took a deep breath.

"Well, of _course_ I'm going. It wouldn't be an adventure without me, now would it? Poor Carter would be nothing without me, and I couldn't very well leave him alone with you, now could I?" Before I could protest, Sadie raised her hand and continued. "Besides, I'm in need of a little excitement. Now, can I drive?"

I rolled my eyes. "Uh, no. We've got that taken care of. But you _could_ keep your mouth shut." I offered hopefully.

Sadie laughed. "You know me better than that, Carter. This trip is going to be dull as it is. I may as well make the best of it."

She insisted on telling me her "dismal" day whether I wanted to hear it or not, but to be honest, I really wasn't listening. I was watching Zia at the wheel. Her black hair was blowing in all sorts of directions and the wind whipped at her blue robes. She was constantly pushing tendrils of long black hair behind her ear. You'd think that would be distracting, but Zia seemed unaffected by her surroundings. A few times, I thought the wind blow us off course, but she knew exactly where she was going. Zia's brown eyes stared into the orange horizon with a determined air about her, like she could take on the whole world if necessary.

New York was long gone. I couldn't tell exactly where we were, since Amos's boat travels faster and farther than any boat known to man, but we definitely weren't in America anymore. Magic, of course, was to blame. Still, we were traveling at a slower pace since we weren't using the Duat, but I liked it better this way. I could relax and enjoy the trip, that is, if the world wasn't about to end. I pushed the thought aside. For the first time in months, we had a lead. And we had Zia. That made everything that much more...bearable, though that wasn't quite the word I was looking for.

I don't know how long I sat there, staring at Zia and the setting sun, when Sadie pinched me and brought me back to reality.

"_Ow!_ What was that for?" I demanded, rubbing my sore arm. Hey, she had sharp finger nails!

Sadie rolled her eyes, as if to say, "_Well, it's obvious!_"

She waved a hand in front of my face. "Get out of the clouds, Carter! God, you're so _naïve_."

"_What_?" I asked defensively, shielding my arm to prevent further pinching attacks.

Sadie slapped her hand against her forehead. "Think about it Carter. The real Zia tried to kill us. _Kill_ us! And now you're groveling at her feet for God's sake! She can't be trusted! How do you know the real Zia isn't still working with Desjardins, _hm_? Actually think about it before you go all starry-eyed again for a girl you knew for-what was it? Six days? Oh wait, the day she tried to murder you does_ not_ count."

Now I was angry. What was she thinking? I decided to fight back, even though I rarely ever win an argument with my sister anyway. "Hey, knock it off! Zia may have been a shabti, but it really was her! I don't know how, but it was! She remembers everything, Sadie. And she's not with Desjardins. We can trust her. She saved our lives! How about you get over your stupid grudge against her!" Sadie tried to comment, but I wasn't through. In fact, I was just getting started. "We're going to find the Book of Ra, and she's the one who found this information, so stop thinking she's got this master plan to betray us. She wants to help for Thoth's sake!" I abruptly stood and walked away, leaving her in the hut as I walked over to Zia by the wheel. Then I turned around and added, "Oh, and by the way, I'm not _groveling_, as you put it. We owe Zia, and she's one of the only allies we've got. I'm trying to make it up to her. Maybe it's time you do the same."

Sadie said nothing, which was a shock. Instead, she put her headphones in her ears and turned toward the left side of the boat, staring off at the foreign city before us with an unreadable expression on her face. Where we were exactly, I couldn't tell you, but the air was hot and dry, so I knew we were nearing Egypt.

"So, what's the plan?" I asked, coming up from behind Zia. She jumped, obviously startled. Before I could apologize, she was hurriedly explaining how she planned on entering the First Nome without being spotted. Zia would show Sadie and I how to use the invisibility spell she used after our discussion with Iskandar last year. Then we'd sneak into the Nome, avoiding any unfriendly magicians.

"About that…" I interrupted, feeling uneasy about the whole plan in general. "The last time you used that spell, it didn't exactly work. How can you be sure it'll work this time?"

Sadie looked lost, not that I blame her. I decided not to tell my sister how I found Zia in her shrine to her parents last year. I don't know why, I guess I was embarrassed. Besides, I wasn't even sure if Zia remembered that night at the shrine, and what she told me.

Zia looked at me thoughtfully. "It'll work, Carter. Trust me." She smiled that dazzling smile, as if reassuring me that she did in fact remember, making me blush in spite of myself. Sadie, thankfully, didn't notice. Then Zia turned back to the wooden wheel and the boat began to descend toward the bustling city below: Cairo, Egypt.

*::*::*

In no time, we were outside the Cairo airport. The place brought back painful memories. I remembered being sick, leaning against my dad's shoulder as we waited outside the gate for our plane. I couldn't tell you where we were headed. Alexandria, maybe? Or was it Giza? It was impossible to know for certain, since we were always traveling. Only on this trip, my Dad comforted me the entire time. I could almost feel his large, warm hand rubbing my back and whispering reassuring words as I crouched in agony. He told me I was strong enough, that I could make it. And I did.

Sure, it was only the flu, but I was nine at the time, and knowing Dad had faith in me made all the difference. It was one of dozens of memories I had in airports with Dad, each one seeming like centuries ago. I pushed the memory aside as we crossed the street into the crowded airport.

Zia led Sadie and I to a familiar door inside the building. After whispering a spell, the door opened at her command, and we were once again descending into Heliopolis. My knowledge on the ancient city was limited, but I knew it had something to do with the sun god. I also knew it was home to some very unfriendly enemies, which didn't make the stuffy, endless journey any more enjoyable.

Finally, we reached the abyss we had to cross last year. Zia stopped suddenly, causing me to bump into her and Sadie into me. Only me and Sadie fell onto the sandy floor.

"_Ow._ Carter!" Sadie muttered furiously. I quickly got up and looked around. No sign of trouble.

"Why'd you stop?" I asked Zia, who was taking out her wand. "Something wrong?'

"No." she replied, turning to us with a grin. "I'm going to teach you how to become invisible."

*::*::*

She recited a spell a dozen times. It wasn't too complicated, but harder and more complex than most of the ones I'm used to. After Zia was convinced Sadie and I knew it by memory, she stepped onto the narrow bridge and began to walk. Sadie and I followed.

I was expected the weird ba man to appear, but he didn't. I let out a sigh of relief and followed Zia into the First Nome.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" I asked, looking around at the deserted underground city.

"No. But we don't have a choice, do we?" Zia answered. Then she disappeared before my very eyes.

"Zia!" I looked frantically around the abandoned market, but she wasn't there. "Zia, for Thoth's sake-"

Then I felt someone's hand gently grip my shoulder. I glanced to my left, but no one was there. Suddenly, a voice whispered in my ear. It was Zia's.

"Sh! It's the invisibility spell. Hurry, I think someone's coming." I quickly murmured the spell just as two magicians came into view. One was tall and stocky with long, dark hair that looked like it had been cut by a four year old with safety scissors. The other was bald, shorter, and carried a long white staff that was taller than he was. They started searching behind booths that carried spices and produce, their long white robes billowing behind them like flags on a windy day. At first I thought they were robbers, but then they continued to the next wooden booth, empty handed. They were looking for something.

I gulped and took my wand out of my bag that slung over my shoulder. When I raised it toward the magicians, however, I noticed that my wand was actually FLOATING in mid air.

Wait a second, not floating, because I was holding it. Only where my hand should be...was nothing. I was _invisible._

"Cool." I whispered, waving the wand in front of me. I laughed quietly to myself and started tossing it back and forth (which is hard when you can't see your own fingers.) The wand seem to be flying in mid air. Before I could toss it again, someone pinched me on the arm.

"OW!"

"Stop being such a baby! We've got work to do." It was Sadie. I should have known. "Oh, and put that thing away before someone sees it."

"Yes, Mom." I muttered, shoving the wand back into my bag where it seemed to vanish. Then I followed the soft sound of Zia and Sadie's footsteps in front of me.

They were headed toward the long, mud brick wall at the end of the large, underground chamber. I followed the best I could, but now and then I'd walk off course, earning yet another fierce pinch from Sadie (I officially _hate_ it when she does that.) She'd drag me behind her for a minute or so. Then she'd let me go and I'd stumble behind her the rest of the way...at least until I would lose them again. Hey, it's hard to follow someone you can't even _see. _I'm surprised the magicians hadn't spotted us by now. They were already heading back the way they came, but something told me they'd be back. We didn't have much time left.

Finally, I slammed into Sadie in front of the wall, so I assumed this was our destination.

"Start looking." Zia whispered next to my ear, making me jump a foot in the air. I could almost hear her smile.

"Uh...look for what?" I asked, thanking the gods she couldn't see my reddened face.

"A symbol." She replied. "Maybe the sun disk, or-"

"Or a scarab?" Sadie questioned from somewhere over to my right.

Zia stepped toward the ancient wall, and I could actually hear her hand running down the smooth surface. "Um, yes, Ra was the scarab god, Khepri, in the morning, but I'm not sure-"

"Well, I guess this mysterious scarab carved into this bloody wall is nothing, correct?" Sadie inquired in a sweet manner. I rolled my eyes, but then I remembered Sadie couldn't even see me.

Zia apparently wasn't accustomed to Sadie's sarcasm. Either that or she didn't care in the least. "Perfect Sadie! Can you open it? Use 'Sahad' maybe, or-"

Apparently Ra didn't know a thing about security, because the moment Sadie placed her hand on the carven scarab, tons of rock began to crumble at our feet until there was nothing but an enormous, black opening in the wall.

"Guess we don't need to knock." I said, taking a step over the pile of rubble in front of the entryway. It took me a couple of seconds to realize Sadie and Zia weren't following.

"Guys?" I asked, turning around to face them. Then I realized things weren't going to be this easy. Across the market were the two magicians, only this time, they weren't alone. About twelve others had joined them, and they were all staring in our direction. I guess they weren't fooled by the invisibility spell. It was that, or the fact that we'd just made a huge hole in their wall. I didn't wait to explain. Instead, I reached out, grabbed Zia and Sadie's invisible arms, and plunged into the hole before us. We fell on a pile of sand somewhere in the gloomy room below. The cries of the magicians began to fade, and I looked up just in time to see the wall reform behind us, throwing the room into total darkness.

*::*::*

**Cliffy again! Sorry about how long it took to update. I've had mid-years almost everyday! Horrible, I know, and I'm still not done! :( Anyway, I'll try to be quicker. I was able to update because we have no school today (mwhaha! i love snow! even though i did get up early for nothing...) Review guys, and thanks for sticking with me this far! It'll get more exciting, I promise!**

**Love,**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**

**P.S. For anyone who hasnt read the first chapter of the Kane Chronicles book two, The Thrown of Fire, then you MUST. When you do, tell me if notice something in that chapter that rings a bell. Well, 2 things actually. 1) sanubis is HISTORY *evil laugh!* and 2) it's about none other than THE BOOK OF RA. If anyone else finds that weird, join the club. I'm still a little freaked myself...it isn't the first time i've predicted stuff from riordan's books;) Weird stuff:D**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello everyone! Yes, it took me forever to update blah blah blah. I won't bore you with excuses, but I DO want to thank all my reviewers for reviewing! _The Book of Ra_ is officially THE FIRST Kane Chronicles fanfic to reach 100 reviews! I never dreamed it would have that many, so thank you ALL very VERY much! :)**

**This is dedicated to LovesToReadOnline, who just so happened to be the 100th reviewer! Enjoy! :)**

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"Well, looks like we won't be leaving that way." I muttered, shaking sand out of my hair. So much for Ra not having a security system.

"Great. _Now_ what do we do?" Sadie moaned, looking around the stuffy, ancient chamber. "There's _nothing_ here!"

I had to admit it, Sadie had a point. There _was _nothing here. Besides some ancient hieroglyphics on the worn, ancient walls, the place was literally empty. Unless, that is, you count pounds of dry sand as a room feature.

Zia didn't seem worried, though. She was studying the paintings on the walls intently, as if she was looking for something. I walked up beside her to see what she was looking at, but all I saw was painting of some buff, tan guy with a bird head, holding a book up to the sun as the cover burst into flames. The book itself seemed unharmed though.

"_Horus_?" I whispered, but the moment the words escaped me, I knew they were false. That was _not_ Horus. I'd seen the god in person, and this guy looked nothing like him. Besides, Horus would sometimes appear with the head of a falcon, but this bird looked more like a hawk.

"Oh wonderful, a bird-man burning a library book. God, did the Egyptians have _no _return policy?" Sadie asked. She had started observing the painting as well. "When I got ketchup on that bloody frog book in third grade, the librarian-"

"Sadie." I said, before she could continue. "Shut up."

She huffed and stomped away, muttering something about amphibians and old ladies.

Zia traced the book with her finger. Nothing happened of course, but as she gazed at the drawing again, her eyes sparkled. I swear I could almost see the light bulb turn on above her head.

"Sadie!" She called, motioning with her hand for my sister to come back. "Can you read this?"

Sadie sighed. "Please. There's nothing there. Just all this random ceremonial rubbish. Nothing's gonna get up out of-"

"Sadie! Just come over here and _read _this part." Zia snapped, obviously not in the mood for Sadie's complaints. "_Please,_" she added, but there was an edge to her voice that would have made me sprint to read that wall. Sadie must have been thinking the same thing, because she walked hurriedly back over to us, although she was muttering the whole way.

Sadie squinted as she studied the faded hieroglyphics above the hawk dude. "Something like, 'The Book lies within the heart of the Noon Sun.' That's odd. Why are noon and sun capitalized?"

"A place?" I offered, but it didn't seem likely. Zia's gaze was on the painting, and I saw them widen with shock.

"What?" I asked. When she didn't answer, I waved my hand in front of her face. "What?" I repeated.

"It's not a place." Zia whispered, without looking away from the painting. "It's a name."

Then she placed her finger on the hawk man's chest, right where his heart would be. A moment later, the room began to shake. Sadie, Zia, and I fell to the floor as buckets of sand rained down on us. I used my hands as a shield for my eyes, and in a moment, I was waist deep in the stuff.

"It's caving in!" I yelled, looking for Zia and Sadie, who may as well been invisible in the downpour of sand. "We've got to-"

"Carter!" Zia yelled over the noise. "Look!"

I turned around to face the wall where the painting had been, only to find it gone. Instead, there was a large, black opening that could either be a dark room or a bottomless abyss for all we knew. The problem was that it was already closing up again. I dove in the direction of Zia and Sadie, managed to take their hands, and then sprinted toward the entrance. I pushed Sadie in first, who yelped as she lost her grip on my hand. Then I turned to Zia, but she wouldn't budge. There was no way two more people would be able to get in; the entrance was closing too fast.

"Go Carter!" she yelled.

_Think again, Zia._ "No Zia, we-"

"GO!" she demanded, giving me a fierce shove.

I was not losing her again, so yanked her forward as I fell, causing her to lose her balance and fall in front of me. She pulled me down with her though, and just as I thought we might both make it through, I felt a sharp pain in my leg. My shoe apparently got stuck in the entrance as I went down. I was dangling in the air, hanging from nothing but my sketcher that was wedged between the two closing walls. In a few more seconds, I may not even _have_ a foot.

"No. _Way_." I muttered, looking back at my shoe. At the last second, I forced my foot to turn at an impossible angle. A sharp pain ran up my leg, but my shoe instantly slipped free and I fell, face first, into the darkened room below.

*::*::*

I must have landed on my head, because I woke up about 20 minutes later with Sadie and Zia kneeling above me. My whole body ached, but my left leg was the worst. It felt like I'd been stabbed with a dozen needles, and even the smallest movements were painful. I moaned and looked around at my surroundings. We were in the middle of dark and musty tunnel. Like the chamber with the painting, these walls were covered in faded markings, not that I could read any of them. The tunnel continued in two directions, but for all I knew, there could be a shear drop at the end of it, because besides from the faint glow of Zia's wand, I could barely see anything.

Zia was staring intently at my ankle. She started murmuring something too softly to hear, but I knew it wasn't English. After a few moments, a glow erupted from Zia's wand to my broken ankle, and the pain immediately subsided. I could actually feel the pain trickling away. After a minute or so, Zia stopped the chant, and I sighed with relief.

"Way to go, Carter." Sadie said sarcastically. "How on Earth did you manage to break your ankle? All you had to do was _jump._"

I rolled my eyes and instantly regretted it, because even _that_ hurt. "I _did_ jump," I answered, "but my foot got stuck. I'm lucky I still _have_ a foot."

Zia shook her head. "If you had gone first, none of this would have happened."

I laughed. "Come on, Zia. Like I was going to abandon you in a chamber with the ceiling caving in? I'd take the broken ankle any day. What's it going to take for you to realize that we're a team?"

"Oh yes, one big,_ happy_ family." Sadie muttered. I ignored the comment and looked at Zia, waiting for an answer. Instead, she carefully put my shoe back on and said, "You'll be fully healed in a few hours. Don't put any weight on it. We'll set up camp here tonight."

"_Here_?" Sadie asked, not sounding too enthusiastic about sleeping in the middle of a creepy tunnel. "But something's not right. Can't you feel it?"

At first I didn't know what she meant, but then I felt a soft breeze rush past me down the corridor to my left. A few moments later, it blew back in the opposite direction. It was as if the tunnel was…_breathing_.

"Um…is that normal?" I asked, knowing the answer before Zia replied. I'd been in plenty of tombs to know this was way out of the ordinary.

"S-ooo," Sadie said, breaking the eerie silence. "We're just going to sit here while the spooky tunnel breathes on us? Are you _bonkers?"_

"I don't see you coming up with any better ideas." Zia said, still looking down the darkened corridor. "Besides, we won't accomplish anything tonight. Carter's foot will be healed by morning, and then, Sadie, we can leave."

Sadie still looked weary. "When you say 'leave,' you don't by any chance mean Egypt in _general_, right?"

Zia cracked a small smile, but it disappeared just as quickly as it came. "Right." she said.

Sadie sighed. "I knew it would be too good to be true."

While Sadie stared suspiciously down the tunnel, I opened my locker in the Duat and took out some of the things I had packed before we left the 21st Nome. Three sleeping bags, some matches, crackers, bottles of water, and a Ziploc bag of rice (which I planned to cook over the fire), a steel pan, and cereal (just because it was in front of me while I was packing.)

While we munched on some crackers, Zia poured some water from the bottles into the pan and then dumped some rice in. Then, being a master of fire, she made the flame without using the matches. She simply pointed her index finger at the two logs I had taken out of the fire in Amos's study, and the wood burst into orange flames. I made a mental note to ask her to teach how to do that, and then passed her a cracker, which she accepted with a smile.

After a while, we were feasting on the rest of the crackers, rice, and handfuls of fruit loops. Not your average super, but no one complained. After I finished my last handful of the sugary cereal, I carefully crawled into my sleeping bag and shut my eyes. I opened them one last time and found myself looking at the dark form of Zia, who was staring into the darkness ahead of us, looking frightened and completely lost. I wanted to say something to make her feel better, but before I could, my vision went black and my ba left my body. Within moments, I had left the ancient tunnel behind, but for some reason, my ba was reluctant to leave. It didn't take me long to figure out why.

*::*::*

**UH OH. "Cliff hanger hanging from a cliff, and that's why he's called cliff hanger!" Haha, I loved that song (In Between the Lions...anybody?) ;)**

**Oh, nevermind :) Anyway, thanks for reviewing guys and I hope you continue to do so! I'll try to update soon, and there's a contest I'll be mentioning in the next chapter for all you readers out there. You'll see what I mean ;)**

**Love,**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys! Thanks again for your reviews and reading my chapters! I just want to remind you all that I don't own any of these characters, unless I make them up myself, but where's the fun in that? ;)I got this idea from RyderKillgallon (she's awesome, read her story!)**

**What I'm asking you is that if you want to be in this story, click the review button and send me a physical description of a character and a little about that person's personality. It could be yourself or a character you made up! :) Whoever sends in the best descriptions (I'm looking for two: one male and one female) will have their character in some of the upcoming chapters! Anyway, if you want to tell me your idea for a character, just click the review button and get typing! This is NOT a contest (just found out those are against the rules 0_o) but a question...thing.**_**Yeah...**_

**In the meantime, here's the next chapter! Hope you like it, it took me all morning! :D**

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My _ba_ flew over a bustling city; thousands of buildings that filled the night sky with artificial light. I couldn't be sure what city it was, they all look the same to me, especially from up above. I couldn't have flown far though, because the desert sand still stretched out endlessly in every direction.

Finally, I came to a bank by a sluggish moving river, the Nile, because it looked similar to the one by Zia's village. Standing by the water was a tall, muscular man, holding something that looked suspiciously like a sword. Perched on his shoulder was a large bird of prey; a falcon, with huge yellow eyes that matched the setting sun's and glistening brown and grey feathers. I knew who the figure was before I even landed. I had to live with the guy in my head for days, so he's sorta hard to forget.

The man was wearing a copper colored breastplate covered in elaborate hieroglyphics and falcon wings. His dark arms were muscular with a falcon tattoo on both of his biceps. Strapped to his waist was a sword hilt, also blanketed in hieroglyphics, only these ones were golden, like his peculiar right eye. Only the hilt of his sword, which was a solid gold falcon head, could be seen. The light reflected brilliantly off its glistening surface and momentarily clouded my vision.

"_Well, when all else fails, he could always blind his enemies to death,"_I thought dryly.

"Horus," I greeted the god with a wave as I landed onto the sandy desert floor. The falcon ruffled its feathers and glared at me. By the look of Horus's gold and silver eyes, this wasn't going to be a happy meeting. Besides, when gods actually seek you out to tell you something, they _only_bring bad news.

"Carter," Horus replied, stroking the falcon with his large, dark hands. "Glad you could make it."

"Uh…I was forced to come here. You called my _ba_, remember?"

Horus made a gesture with his free hand, as if to say, "_That's not the point._" Then he looked me straight in the eye and said, "Anything could have happened on your way here, now that's it's begun."

Suddenly, the idea of ba traveling didn't seem safe anymore. Horus's tone was dead serious, and whatever "it" was, I did _not_want to know. But of course, I asked anyway.

"Um…now that what's begun?" I reluctantly questioned.

Horus looked me right in the eye and studied me for a long moment, almost like he searching for an answer to a vital question; an answer I did not have. Finally, he sighed and looked into the glare of the setting sun.

Horus stood there, staring intently at the ball of fire for a long time, as if he could stop it from setting somehow, if he concentrated hard enough. Eventually he gave up and turned his gaze back to me. I may have been imagining it, but in that short amount of time, it seemed like he had aged about ten years. For the first time, he really looked a thousand years old; someone who had seen raging battles and creatures too horrible to exist in even my darkest nightmares.

"I have long feared," the god murmured, "that this time would come. But history is bound to repeat itself, no matter how much effort is put into its extinction." He looked at me expectantly, expecting me to comment no doubt, but I was too frightened to say anything. I had a bad feeling I knew what he was about to say, and for once, I prayed every god I could think of that I could be wrong.

"The serpent's awakening had begun, Carter. After a millennium of exile, it's finally going to walk the Earth once more, leaving nothing but destruction its his wake."

Talk about the bearer of bad news. I didn't trust myself to speak. I guess I wasn't surprised; I knew this was bound to happen, sooner rather than later. Yet, I was still troubled by Horus's tone. The way he'd said it, it sounded like he was already picking out my gravestone, _everyone's_gravestone, maybe even his own.

"Well, we knew this would happen," I said, my voice sounding calmer than I felt. "We've been preparing for some time now. All we have to do is inform the House of Apophis' rising, and they're bound to join us. The gods would do the same, given our predicament." I studied Horus's face for some reassurance, but found nothing but sorrow.

"Right?" I asked timidly.

Horus sighed. "The gods are…stubborn beings. They despise the House of Life and magicians alike. Even if the world was about to end…the gods could always escape somehow; hide in deeper, secluded corners of the Duat until the worst blows over, in hopes that they would be spared. By that time, the world as we know it would be no more."

"But that's not fair!" I protested. "They have to stay and fight! The gods and magicians-we're in this together! If the serpent escapes, it would lead to both of their dooms, not just the humans. They've got to see that!"

Horus only shrugged; causing the falcon perched on his shoulder to rustle its copper colored feathers in annoyance. "They're not blind, only daft. I'm sure they understand the consequences of the monster escaping, but it doesn't exactly mean they'll act. Like I said, they still hold their prejudices, and many would rather die than have to fight alongside a magician. Others will more likely ally with the serpent in order to save themselves, though the odds of Apophis sparing their lives are very slim. But, as I said, many would rather be killed than to aid the House, even if it means the destruction of the planet."

I was at a loss for words. "That's…that's just stupid."

"_How could they do this?"_I thought angrily._"Don't they realize that they're supposed to protect human kind instead of destroy it?"_

The corners of Horus's lips twitched into a smile, but it vanished just as quickly as it appeared. He glanced at the orange sun, now barely visible as it slowly disappeared into the barren, flat horizon. "It is foolish, Carter, but my brethren haven't exactly been known for their intelligence. We may be gods, but we're not saints. We make mistakes, though the consequences are far greater than your average blunder. When gods make mistakes, it's usually the world that pays for it. Therefore, some of us become hasty, causing many to make senseless decisions without bothering about the possible outcome. This is why history tends to repeat itself. We don't take into account how our choices affect others, and that, Carter, will be our greatest downfall."

Scowling, I looked down at the sandy ground below me. "You'd think living a thousand years would help them learn from their mistakes," I muttered, digging a hole in the sand with my shoe, as if I could bury my troubles in the desert and abandon them. "Maybe then none of this would be happening."

"We don't have time to dwell on what might have been. Our only hope for survival is if the gods and magicians work together, something they haven't done in centuries," Horus stated. "It may be a hopeless cause, but our time is running out. Every second counts." He had one back to stroking the bird of prey, whose eyes had eventually shut. Its head was now buried beneath its feathers.

"So, what do you want me to do? We've tried convincing the House, but they won't listen. The gods are just as stubborn. What else is there?"

Horus's eyes darkened. "It seems, Carter, that there is nothing _we_can do to convince them. There's only one person the gods would follow, and he's been absent just as long as the serpent has."

"Do you mean Ra?" I asked.

Horus nodded gravely. "He's the monster's creator, after all. If he can't convince both sides to work together, no one can. They'd be fools not to believe their former king. If Ra ordered them to stand together, no one would dare to object."

He had a point, but something about the idea seemed unlikely. "So you're saying that if we find Ra, we save the world." It came out as more of a statement than an actual question.

Horus hesitated. "Not exactly. We cannot forget the serpent; our greatest enemy. The only way we could defeat Apophis is if we had-"

"The Book of Ra," I interrupted. Horus raised a dark eyebrow.

"Yes. That as well. My sister just recently informed me. I don't know how she obtained this information, or how you did for that matter, but yes, we must find the Book. And we cannot push aside the fact that Ra has been missing for thousands of years. No one, not even Isis, knows where he's at. That is, if he's even alive."

"So let me get this straight. We have to find this book that's been missing for centuries, relocate Ra, who may not even exist anymore, and then bring him and the Book back here before the serpent rises from his not-so-eternal prison and destroys the Earth?"

"In ten days," Horus added as an afterthought.

For a second there, I thought I heard wrong. "Ten _days_?"

"That's what I said, didn't I?"

I was too shocked to answer right away. "But-but how do you know? Why ten?"

"Tonight's the third day of the Waning Gibbous," Horus explained, motioning to the lemon-shaped moon as if the reason was obvious. "Therefore, there are exactly ten more days until the next New Moon, when the sky is nothing but complete darkness. On that night, the serpent will be at the height of its power, and it will rise once more."

"Ten days," I repeated. "Ten days before the world could end."

"Perhaps," Horus replied, taking his gleaming sword out of its sheath. "But if worst comes to worst, we're not going down without a fight."

"Not that this isn't a happy gathering or anything, but I better get back. I'll do whatever it takes to find the Book of Ra and bring it back before Apophis' rising," I promised the falcon god as I stared at the moon, which now looked more like a clock; counting down the days to our destruction. "We'll keep an eye out for Ra on the way. But Horus, what will you be doing?"

Horus shrugged again, causing the bird stir in its sleep. "I'm going to talk to the eldest gods. Maybe they have a clue to where Ra may be hiding. It's a start, anyway. It's also our only hope." Then he studied me again with those multi-colored eyes.

"Oh, and Carter," he added, "when you're searching for the Book, beware of the Duat. Only use it as a last resort."

"Got it," I replied, not wanting to ask why. "Anything else?"

"Yes," Horus murmured gravely. "Ra was never a trusting soul. He always had a backup plan in case anything went wrong. Even when Isis poisoned him, he got the upper hand."

"Why? He lost his thrown for Thoth's sake. He was _exiled!_How is _that_getting the upper hand?"

"True, his reign did come to an end, but with him went the last-" Horus stopped suddenly and cocked his head to the side; listening. A moment later, I felt a strong, persistent force pull me skyward.

"NO!" Horus yelled before turning into his falcon form and flying after me. I struggled in the force's grasp, but it was unyielding, and nothing I did seemed to phase it. Soon, the falcon was nothing more than a speck in the barren desert. The sky, lit with the lights of the city, darkened as I approached the black sky above me, until even the stars themselves disappeared.

Suddenly, the feeling of motion stopped. I was floating, simply floating, in the middle of complete and utter darkness. And I don't mean just your ordinary darkness, I mean the pitch-black, death-like kind of darkness; one you can't even experience in nightmares. It was like I was on the dark side of the moon, and for all I knew, maybe I was.

I don't know how long I just stood there before it had spoken; a harsh, hissing sound, no louder than a whisper. And it was ancient, older than I could ever imagine. You could tell in the way it spoke; a combination of a thousand accents and dialects. Even though I couldn't understand what it was saying, I heard the words clearly in English, right inside my head. Its voice seemed to coil around my brain.

_I wasss wondering when you'd come to sssee me, little pharaoh. _It whispered. _Of course, you're preoccupied; trying to sssave your pitiful world. But no matter. I will rise in the end, and I _will_ rule once more. _Then it laughed; a horrible, raspy sound like tires over gravel that made my blood run cold.

_Do you wisssh to see what will become of your kingdom, little pharaoh; what will become of your preciousss planet? Well, I'll be happy to oblige._

Suddenly, I was in a battlefield. Magicians and gods, or what was left of them, lay scattered about the bloodied terrain; unrecognizable in the puddles of blood and ashes. The remaining warriors seemed to be engaged in what looked like a deadly dance, stabbing, parrying, and casting spells so powerful that they would kill a dozen of the opposing side at once. A labyrinth of bodies and limbs made it almost impossible to navigate, and the stench of unwashed bodies, sweat, and the metallic smell of blood filled the air. The sky was a dark, crimson shade; reflecting the blood covered soil. The sun, however, was the worst sight of all. Writhing and coiling around the enormous star was the limitless, hideous body of a snake.

_The earth stirsss,_ the serpent whispered in my mind. _My subjectsss are waiting, and I have become restlesss. It is time for my awakening, and you, little pharaoh, can do _nothing_ to stop me._

Just then, the snake fully encased the sun, causing the few remaining streaks of sunlight to disappear. Even the battlefield, the warriors, and I began to fade. Ever so slowly, I felt myself dissolve; starting with my feet, my legs, my waist, and finally, my ears, so I could hear the sounds of the raging battle and the gleeful laughter of the snake even after I was gone.

*::*::*

**Jeesh, the future doesn't sound very promising, does it? What will happen next...I'm just as curious as the rest of you! :D**

**Anyway, the Character Question (that's what I called it...pretty creative, no? ;) is officially on! Review please guys, and may the gods be with you! By the looks of Carter's vision, you'll need it! ;)**

**Love,**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	12. Chapter 12

**This is dedicated to ILuvZarter for the idea of having a Zia-Sadie bonding moment while Carter sleeps. ;) **

** Sorry it took so long. I've been sick since Friday and couldn't leave bed. Luckily, I am well enough to finish this Valentine's gift for you all! ENJOY!**

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Well, it didn't take Carter long to fall asleep, due the little fall on his head (something he must do often, which would explain his level of intelligence.) I, on the other hand, did not fall asleep so easily, and having a tunnel breathe of me didn't exactly _help matters. _To make things even worse (which I didn't even think was possible), I wasn't the _only_ one the Sand Man didn't visit. _Zia_ of all people was still awake, staring out into the darkened tunnel ahead. After a while however, she had shifted her gaze to Carter, instantly making me uncomfortable. Could Carter's face really be _that_ interesting?

I coughed loudly three times to get her attention. She glanced at me with a weary expression on her face. _"What_ Sadie?"

I moaned inwardly to myself. "Do you _mind?_ Some of us are trying to get some sleep here, and you staring freakishly at my brother is _not_ helping!"

"What isn't helping, Sadie," Zia murmured, "is listening to your iPod."

I rolled my eyes, but took my headphones out of my ears anyway. "That's not the point! My point is that there are dozens of more interesting things to look at here. I think it's about time you start observing them _right now_ so I can sleep in peace."

Zia sighed and started rummaging through her pack. Without looking up, she asked, "Sadie, not that I care or anything, but what is it going to take for us to get along?"

For once, I was speechless. Was Zia actually trying to be my-no, I _refuse_ to believe it. The thought was too strange, given the fact that she had been a shabti when we knew her, and I still wasn't a one hundred percent sure if I could trust her, despite Carter's outburst on the reed boat.

"Um…I don't know what you're talking about," I replied, pretending to take great interest in combing out my hair with my sweaty fingers.

Zia only rolled her eyes. "Sure you do," she said sarcastically. Did I mention that I hate it when she does that? No? Well, I do. Only _I_ can pull off being sarcastic. It's part of my personality for goodness sake!

"Well, maybe I don't want us to get along. I enjoy making fun of you two love birds. Not to mention that I'm still not over you dumping water on me, or the time you turned your back on me during my duel with Carter, or the time you led the House to us-"

"I did not lead them! It was Mel! He told Desjardins!" Zia interrupted, sounding exasperated.

"Sure, sure. Blame everything on poor little Mel," I said, knowing that Mel was actually like six foot six and muscular. Hey, I wasn't in a negotiating mood. More like a make-everyone-insane mood. Not to mention I was still seriously suspicious of that day, despite the story I'd heard.

Zia's face was burning red, but something told me it was not from embarrassment. "You-Are-_Hopeless!_ Why can't you just accept the fact I risked everything to help you? That I betrayed my only family to give you the information you needed? Gods, Sadie, I don't know why I even _bother_."

She flung her pack angrily into the corner and pulled her sleeping bag over to where she was sitting. Then, without another word, she turned her back to me and fell silent. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was sleeping, but even Carter, as pathetic as he is, can't fall asleep _that_ fast.

I sighed and pulled my sleeping bag a little closer to where she was laying, but made sure there was two or three feet between us. If I got her any more angry, she might start throwing fire balls, and I without a doubt would be her living target.

Maybe I was wrong about Zia. She did give up basically everything to help us, and _still _was for that matter. I guess she didn't have to come either.

_"Well, you better get it over with. You know she's NEVER gonna let you live it down, though." _I thought bitterly.

"Well, listen up, and I hope you are because I'm never saying this again." I waited for her to respond, but after receiving none, I went on. "I…I'm sorry about how I've been acting toward you. I know you saved our sorry lives, more than once actually, and that you gave up everything to save us. You were the first magician to actually join our cause, and well…we couldn't have done it without you, alright? I know Carter would say the same thing if he wasn't so nervous around you, which, by the way, is because he's head over heels for you. I mean, it's so obvious that it's become _depressing!_ And even though I tell him to get over his fears and just tell you for god sake-"

"Sadie! Let's get back to the apology, shall we?" Zia interrupted, but I could hear her voice shake a little. That's what I get for trying to be match maker.

"Hm? Oh, yeah, well…yeah. That's what I wanted to say. That I'm…" I took a deep breath to prepare myself for such preposterous words, "I'm sorry. About everything. That you lost your home and how I treated you and everything. Oh, and that you like Carter. That's rather tragic-"

"What? I do _not_ like Carter!" Zia interjected, sounding more surprised than angry. She turned to face me, probably to argue more, but I could see her face was bright red. I sneered.

"Ah ha! I _knew_ it! Oh my God, that's so pitiful! Oh-my-_God! _Wait till I tell Carter! He'll absolutely _die-_"

"Sadie! You will tell him _nothing,_ do you hear me? _Gods, _right when I think we're getting somewhere, you have to ruin it by saying-"

"The _truth?_" I offered, but by the angry look on Zia's face, that wasn't the word she was looking for. I get that from people a lot. Gramps always said it was because of the heat, but after my second grade teacher looked that way in the middle of a January blizzard, I began to doubt his theory.

Finally, Zia just sighed and sat up on her sleeping bag, staring at me.

"What?" I demanded, suddenly feeling self conscious. "Is there a _scorpion_ in my hair? Oh Thoth, if there is, I swear to God I'll-"

I was interrupted when a sock hit my square in the face. It didn't hurt, obviously, but it shocked me.

"What in the name of _Ra_ was that for?" I exclaimed.

"For telling the truth," Zia replied, and before I could understand what in the world she meant by that, she added, "And I just wanted you to shut up."

"Well then," I said, scooping up a handful of sand, "This means _war_."

I threw the handful of sand, aiming for face of course, because I always believe that if you _must_ fight, fight dirty. Zia, on the other hand, had her wand out and disintegrated the sand in a matter of seconds. Before I could say how bloody unfair that was, she had another handful of sand flying my way. I rolled over just in time before it hit the desert floor, right where I just standing. When I glanced up again, Zia had made somewhat of a wall with the backpacks for protection, almost like a snow fort, only without the snow and without the warm cups of tea that Gram would make for me when I came inside. Just thinking of Gram and Gramps's flat made me homesick, but being stuck in an abandoned tunnel in the middle of a sand fight is _not_ the time to wish you were homeward bound. For the time being, we weren't going anywhere.

After fifteen minutes or so of sand throwing (and a few handfuls of sand down our shirts, which, by the way, is something I would avoid having done to you at _all _costs) we decided to hold a temporary truce. Zia shook the remaining grains of sand out of her black hair and sat back down on her sleeping bag. I followed her example and yawned, wondering what time it was.

"Zia," I whispered, realizing that Carter was still somehow asleep, "Do you think it's true? All this Book of Ra rubbish, I mean. Do you seriously believe it exists, or is it just a bunch of hullabaloo?"

"A bunch of _what?"_

I sighed. "How about, 'a bunch of ridiculous lies.' Or do I have to make it _simpler_ for you?"

Zia rolled her eyes. "No, I _get_ it. I guess I don't really know if the Book truly exists, but what choice do we have? This book could be our only hope, Sadie. Why _wouldn't _you want to believe it?"

"I never said I didn't want to." I muttered, pulling on my red streak of hair. "The whole thing just seems a little unlikely, that's all."

Zia's eyes darkened. "Seeing is how we're risking our lives to find the Book, I'd start believing in it, _fast_."

I guess she had a point, I'd rather not die for something I don't even believe in, but before I could respond, I heard Carter scream. He was curled in his sleeping bag with his hands over his ears, drenched in sweat. Zia was at his side in an instant, but I lingered in the shadows. I'd never seen Carter like this. Was he going insane? Being eaten from the inside from flesh eating cereal? Both ideas seemed unlikely, but after becoming a magician, I've learned to expect the unexpected. Before I could mention that we probably shouldn't eat any more Fruit Loops, Carter thrashed out again, almost giving Zia what my Gramps would call a "knuckle sandwich." The way he was acting, the Fruit Loops theory seemed more and more likely.

It took me all of a few moments to realize he was whispering something. Zia had already leaned closer, trying to decifer his words no doubt, but it was pretty risky, considering the fact that he could thrash out at any moment. Then her brown eyes widened in what was either shock or terror.

"It's alright, Carter. Wake up, it's just a nightmare." she whispered, shaking his shoulder timidly. "Wake up, Carter. _Wake up_." That's when she shook it more urgently. "_Carter!"_

At that point, I knew this was more than just a nightmare. I ran to Carter's side and held his hand (something I never do, by the way, but this was an emergency) as Zia rummaged through her backpack. After a few moments, her hand emerged holding what looked like a shiny, black stone. Light gleamed off its smooth surface as Zia muttered something under her breath, though I couldn't hear it over Carter's cries. He was muttering something over and over. With a start, I realized what it was, and it almost wrenched out my heart.

"Make it _stop!_ Gods, make it _STOP!_"

I stifled a sob and tried to comfort my brother. The truth was, I had never felt so helpless in my life. What could I DO? "Carter...Carter, it's okay, I'm right here-"

"IT'S KILLING ME!" Carter yelled, slamming his fists against his ears. "Gods, STOP _IT!_"

"Carter..." I whimpered. Really, what _could _I do? If it wasn't the cereal, was it some sort of disease he'd caught on the way over? What if there _was_ no cure? And even if there was, where would I get it; alone and stranded in the middle of God-knows-where?

I searched frantically for Zia, who had her eyes closed tight while she stood silently in the shadows. "DON"T JUST STAND THERE!" I shouted, "God, do something! He's being _tortured!_"

Then suddenly, out of nowhere, she took a deep breath and threw the rock at Carter with blinding speed. _Definitely_ not what I was expecting.

I was too shocked to do anything but scream, "Bloody hell!" before the stone hit Carter in the face-or, at least, it would have, if the stone hadn't disappeared before impact. Instantly, I was plunged in total darkness except for a faint light where Carter had been laying. I could barely see his glowing form however, because of the dark, long _thing _that seemed to encase him. Even worse- it was _moving; _writhing and coiling around my brother like a…a…

"_Serpent,"_ Zia's voice whispered from somewhere beside me. I stared in horror as the black snake coiled around the ba of my brother, encasing him more and more as each second ticked by. The smell of snakes was overwhelming, accompanied by another metallic smell: blood. I couldn't take it anymore. There was a enormous SERPENT on Carter! What was Zia waiting for?

Finally, I decided to take action before it was too late. I grabbed my wand, which just so happened to be in my back pocket, and stabbed it into the charcoal-colored flesh of the monster. The moment the tip touched its glistening scales, a blinding light illuminated the tunnel and I was thrown backwards by an invisible opponent. With a sickening thump, I hit the weathered walls of the tunnel and fell to the sandy floor below.

*::*::*

**Eek! I was almost crying during this chapter! All I could think was, "Will he LIVE?" Then I realized that _I'm_ the one writing this, so I can decide if he lives or not. DUH mythomagic! :D Still, it was painful writing this. Whatever Zia did, it BETTER work...**

**Again, sorry it took so long! It's vacation next week, and I'm planning to post two chapters (since I won't have algebra homework. WOOHOO!) in that time, so expect some updates soon! The Character Question will be running until Chapter 15, so get your ideas in while you can! Review Please! It'll make my day! And I want to wish you all a...**

** HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! **

**WITH LOVE,**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey guys! I have updated within the week for once! I'm feelin' pretty proud right now... **

**I know it's a little short, but hey, at least it's something, right? Don't answer that. :)**

**Anyway, here's the chapter. It's about Carter's experience that night. Okay, okay, I KNOW they're still stuck in the tunnel, but this is really, REALLY important to the story. What happens to Carter will influence his big decision in the future-one that could possibly save the world...or destroy it. On that happy note: Enjoy! :D**

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In the course of the night, I died twenty seven times, if you don't count the magician who sent the killing blow through my back just before I woke up. Do you know what it's like to die? No, I suppose you couldn't have, but I have died enough times to last a lifetime—or should I say _twenty seven_ lifetimes.

I still don't know how explain the feeling. Knowing you've failed; that your life is about to come to a painful end. Wondering what the outcome of this war will be, and then the sickening realization that you'll never actually know. I experienced all of these, more than once. It all started after I fully disappeared from that battlefield; the one with the serpent encasing the sun. I don't know how or when I left. The sounds of battle still rung in my ears, but something was different this time. The pain. It hit me so hard, my heart nearly stopped.

I don't know who I was. I wasn't myself however, because for the first time, I looked down at my hands, now covered in dirt, ashes, and blood—though if it was my blood, I couldn't tell—and found that under all the filth, my hands were white. Well, not _white _white, but looking at the skin, you'd think I was a tan Caucasian. My muscles were also a lot bigger, like I had worked out every day of my life, and blue veins ran up and down my arms like the Nile through the white sands of the desert. It was all too strange and unfamiliar. This _wasn't_ me, dressed in battle armor and gripping the bloodied hilt of a sword. This wasn't _my_ wound; the purple and red gash throbbing on my left side, the cuts and bruises, none of it. I was in someone else's body, and by the looks of it, I was about to die.

I could feel my life trickling out of me, ever so slowly, as the pain increased. Memories flooded my mind—not _my_ memories, not _my_ mind—but they hurt me all the same. It was a pain even worse than the swollen, pus covered wound on my side. My vision blurred, and I saw a little girl, her red hair billowing behind her as she ran through the greenest meadow I had ever seen. She wore a threadbare dress that was once blue but now a faded grey. Her small hands clutched a dozen pansies whose white petals flew off, one by one as she sprinted through the tall grass, laughing an eerily familiar laugh that sounded like its own childish melody. She looked about seven or eight, and just thinking of her made my heart leap.

_Meara, _I thought, and even the name brought me pure joy.

In the memory, a brown haired man wearing torn blue trousers and a white, collarless shirt ran up behind the little girl and picked her up. The girl, who must be Meara, giggled uncontrollably as he spun her over and over; her red, curly locks flying after her, struggling to keep up as flew through the air. The man smiled and laughed with her, looking like this was the best day of his life. Suddenly, I was in place of the young man, spinning the little girl with no intention of stopping. It was then that I got a good look at the arms that held little Meara: muscular and tan, like he had spent the majority of his time working under the sun. I felt bile rise to my throat as the realization hit me like a ton of bricks. This was the man dying in the middle of the battlefield.

This was me.

Movement at the corner of my eye brought me back to reality—_this_ reality. Surrounding me was a battle, one I hadn't even noticed or heard. Maybe it was because of my wounds, or the quenching thirst that made my head spin and my eyes water. Dust was everywhere; dust and blood and the mangled bodies of the dead. The temperature must have been over one hundred degrees—or was I imagining that also? Sweat dripped down my face and clouded my vision. What I could see, however, was a man in grey walking towards me. The battle raged around him, but his eyes bore down on me like a vulture on its helpless prey. Around his neck he wore a canteen, and in his arms he held what looked like a gun.

_"A musket," _a voice whispered in my mind; a voice that wasn't mine. As he approached me, he threw the gun aside and took out a knife; a blood covered weapon that gleamed in the hot summer sunlight. With a sneer, he stood over me, blocking my view of the sun and letting his shadow cover me like a deathly blanket.

"Right 'bout now, I'd be prayin' to Gawd if I's you," the soldier snarled in a thick southern accent. Up close, he smelled of smoke, sweat, and something I had become all too familiar with: the smell of blood. Finally, he knelt down so his scarred, sweaty face was level with mine. It took all my will power not to cower away.

He smiled. "Heck, even _Gawd_ can't save ya now."

And with that, he drove the knife right through my heart. The feeling was something I could never begin to describe. It made me catch my breath and my vision fade. I could feel nothing but the pain-gods, the pain. I couldn't hear anything; not the sound of the wounded soldiers, the gunfire, or even the laughter of the sneering soldier. Within moments, the image of the battle disappeared. No matter how hard I focused, my eyes wouldn't open. All I could feel was the agony; a pain worse than any I could imagine. I saw Meara, her bright smile, her hair the color of fire, the sound of her laugh. The man reading to her by the fire; her eyes wide and reflecting the flames in her bright green eyes. A strawberry blond woman with the same green eyes and a pleasant smile, knitting a scarf in the rickety rocking chair beside them. Then it all disappeared; the memories, my senses, and finally, my life. His life.

The last thing I felt was a deep and endless sorrow; mourning something more precious than life itself. Something I'd never see again.

*::*::*

The rest went by exactly the same way, only they were different bodies; different lives that ended because of war. The brown haired man with muscular arms died from a knife through the heart in 1863, and left behind his only daughter, Meara, with her mother who delivered a baby boy, the crumpled letter had told him, only a month before. He would never get to see him; his first and only son.

Another man, much older than the first, followed. He was thinner, less muscular and strong; an easy target. He died of a bullet wound through the head, and my vision blacked out before I could learn any more.

Then I was a man in a blood splattered toga, fighting my way through a battle with only one good arm. His long black hair clung to his neck, and sweat covered the warrior from head to toe. He was trained for this, and I could feel his hate like it was my own. All he wanted to do was kill; to end this now so he could go home to his small farm by the olive groves. They needed to win, but what they would gain was unclear. What I did know, however, is that if they didn't win, they were dead. _Without a doubt, _he thought, _they all would be dead._

The other arm, which I was too afraid to look at, was his downfall. Eventually, the pain was too great, and he—_I—_fell to the ground only moments before a sword was plunged into my back. Another life lost; the outcome of the battle yet another mystery.

I must have gone through at least a dozen more; some took longer to die than others. One man suffered for what seemed like an eternity. He waited for hours in pain; for the wounds to end his life. By the end, I wanted nothing more than death to come. Whether it was his decision or my own to drive the sword through his heart, I can't say, but the feeling of death was all too familiar when it came.

The lives of the people I had shared their final moments with left after each encounter, but the pain remained. I could still feel the wound on my side, even though it was no longer there. I could still feel the bullet hole through my skull, the sword through my back, the knife in the heart. Yet, hours later, after the gruesome death of yet another soldier, I looked down to see my mangled, blood covered body, but all I saw was a boy, a little over fifteen years old with copper-colored skin wearing a t-shirt and a pair of faded jeans. His bare foot was propped up on his backpack and the other was under one of his white and blue Sketchers his Dad had bought him. His thumb on his right hand had a small scar, one he had gotten when he cut it on a baked beans can back when he was six, and he could feel his father's wand in his back pocket.

I wasn't in battle. I wasn't wounded or dying, but surrounded by ancient, weathered walls that were covered in red and blue hieroglyphics. Sadie was sleeping a few feet away; her blond hair covering her face like a veil. A black haired girl, _Zia, _I thought, lay beside me, her chest rising and falling as she slept.

I am Carter Kane. I'm trapped in an abandoned tunnel, deep within the labyrinth underneath the bustling country of Egypt. I am alive…and yet I pray to the gods I wasn't. For the first time that night, death didn't come, no matter how many times I prayed.

*::*::*

**Okay, this chapter made me cry as well. All those poor people-well, I am now officially depressed. Again, remember that this experience is important. You'll hear about it again soon enough ;) I'll update another chapter this week, IF I receive at least three reviews. I want to hear what you guys think, so let me know! :) The Character Question is still running—submit your character before it's too late! And if you're on February vacation like me (WOOHOO!) then have an awesome week off! Review please everyone! **

**love, **

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	14. Chapter 14

**OHMYGODS! I AM SO SO SO SORRY I HAVENT UPDATED IN SO LONG! This is no lie: I had written the next chapter 3 days after I had last updated (on Thursday; some date I don't remember) but the next morning, when I went to upload it, my computer wouldn't let me log in! We called the computer place, but they were booked for Friday and Saturday and weren't open on Sundays or Mondays, so I couldn't bring it there till Tuesday. Then it took them ALL WEEK to fix it, so I didn't get it BACK until yesterday afternoon! I was so happy, until I realized that he had deleted EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY FILES. A YEAR AND A HALF'S WORTH OF WORK, GONE! Not to mention the next chapter! I was SO ANGRY. So, I spent about 4 hours today writing this. I hope you like it. Again, I am _so_ sorry. I was SO SURE I was gonna update sooner! Curse computers! -_- Anyway, enjoy! I hope this makes up for the time it took for me to update! :)**

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My senses told me it was morning. I had been awake for—how long? For all I knew, I could have been awake for three hours or three minutes. My entire body felt like I had been maimed by an angry mob of villagers who poked at me with their pitchforks and then set me on fire, just for fun. Maybe their maniacal laughter is why I have such a skull-splitting headache. Hey, for all I knew, it was true. It had taken me forever to realize I was no longer being stabbed, shot, or bleeding eternally. I was finally back to reality, where I was trapped in an ancient tunnel, surrounded by weathered walls and desert sand. Oh, and the tunnel was breathing. Definitely real, right?

I had to admit, the setting was a bit strange. If I was Carter Kane, why hadn't I woken up to my alarm clock on my warm bed in the 21st Nome? Why was I _here? _For what seemed like an eternity, I was a soldier or a warrior, and then a dead man. Dying over and over and over. Just as I would convince myself: _This is the real me. This is real_, I'd get shot or stabbed and then I'd die. And after I died, I'd become someone else, and the pattern would start all over again. And again. And again...

The only thing that did remain, however, was the pain. I could still feel every wound I had received from my...what were they? Nightmares? Visions? My head hurt too much from the—three? Or was it four?— bullet wounds I had gotten to ponder on anything for too long. I couldn't stand either, because my legs felt like they had been bathed in molten lava.

Every once in a while, I'd look down at my hands, my arms, or my legs, expecting to see some pus-covered, red and purple gash, but nothing was there. I was unharmed, that is, on the outside. Apparently my pain couldn't be seen by the naked eye.

Eventually, I came up with a system. I'd look at something, like my pack for example, and recite to myself the story behind it. Then I'd remember.

Carter Kane—_I_—got that backpack at a local Walmart with Carter's—_my_—sister when she complained that her bedroom was too "drab" and was in need of a makeover. The thought of my sister…_Sadie, _my sister SADIE, having a sense of a fashion scared me half to death, so while she looked at the bedding sets, I had walked over to the school supplies section and spotted a…

I struggled to find the memory, to sort through which ones were really mine. Finally, an image of a lone backpack on an empty shelf caught my attention._ Khaki_. I had found a _khaki_-colored backpack. Gradually, I was able to distinguish which memories were my own. If I focused hard enough on my backpack, the details would eventually flow into my mind, and somehow, I knew they were real.

I had never owned a backpack; even when I went to elementary school for that brief period of time, I had always carried my books to school. I mean, why lug a backpack around when all you're carrying is a pencil case filled with Crayola crayons and a number two pencil? Anyway, this backpack wasn't anything special. Two zippers, one larger than the other. A place to put your water bottle. No fancy lettering or designs. Just…_plain_. Plain and dusty from being on the clearance shelf for so long. In other words, it was perfect.

Sadie, however, felt differently towards my miraculous find. "Amos gives you fifty dollars, and you spend it all on a cheap, ugly _knapsack?"_

"It's polyester material!" I objected, but it only seemed to annoy Sadie more.

Sadie made an exasperated gesture with her hands. "God, I give up on you Carter. You really do have _no_ sense of style."

I laughed. "Says the person who wears combat boots on a regular basis."

That didn't go over too well with Sadie.

I smiled at the memory, _my _memory. I knew I would never go to school—why bother when the world may end?—but I felt sorry for the thing. It was full of potential, waiting for someone to buy it. And now it was serving as storage for our provisions and Aquafina water bottles. Hey, better than gathering dust in Walmart, right?

I continued to remember, despite the fact that my brain resisted each memory with an enormous headache on top of the one I already had.

_Man, just when I thought matters couldn't get any worse..._

Finally, I couldn't take the silence anymore. Focusing on objects kept my mind off the pain—but only for so long. If I was left alone to my thoughts for a second longer, I swear to gods I was going to go insane...if I wasn't insane already.

I glanced at Zia, who hadn't moved since I had woken up. She was breathing of course, but unlike Sadie who tossed and turned frequently in her sleep, Zia hadn't moved a muscle. She looked peaceful, like she hadn't a care in the world, just like she did the the sarcophagus. I had found Zia only yesterday—or two days ago, depending on what time it was. It seemed like an eon ago.

I was almost sorry to wake Zia up. I nudged her, and her eyes flew open, as if she had been awake the whole time. She fixed her gaze on me and smiled. As soon as she did, I wondered why I hadn't waken her up earlier.

"Morning," I whispered through chapped lips.

Zia smiled wider. "Good morning to you to. Though I can't say the same for last night."

I flinched at the thought of the nightmares. I was about to apologize for the trouble I had caused—gods know how they actually got to sleep with me screaming—but Zia was already on her feet, her eyes still on mine.

"Forget I said anything," she murmured, then walked over to Sadie. I was grateful that she didn't question me about the visions—I don't think I could bear reliving them again—but she still didn't quite understand. I didn't want to forget anything she said.

*::*::*

Sadie is what my dad would call a "late riser." You tell her to get up, and forty five minutes later, she does. Usually I lose my patience by that time though, so I have to literally _drag_ her out of bed. If she has the door locked though, which had been happening a lot lately, I would just keep knocking on the door until she answered several thrown shoes later. Today was no exception, only this time; she didn't have a bed to be pulled out of (as if I even had the strength to do so) or a door to lock. She still had shoes however, but to my surprise, she didn't fling them in my direction. Before I even had a chance to warn Zia of Sadie's crabbiness in the morning, Sadie was already on her feet. In seconds, she was at my side.

"Good God, Carter! Are you _alright?_ You were screaming bloody murder for half the night!" At first I thought she was joking, I mean, Sadie _worried_ about me? Over her dead body. Yet, here she was, looking scared and asking if I was okay. Somebody pinch me [Ow, Sadie! I didn't mean _literally!_]

"Is your leg alright? Can you walk? Do you want me to make you some breakfast?" Sadie asked hurriedly, already taking out the cereal before I could respond.

"I—"

"I mean, what in the name of Ra happened? You were thrashing about, and there was this _enormous_ serpent coiling around you!" Sadie shivered. "Gods, and if _that_ wasn't gross enough, Zia—"

"—thinks we should get going," Zia interrupted, giving Sadie a death glare. "_Now_."

I was about to agree when Sadie cut me off, _again._ "Of course not! Look at Carter! He's a mess!"

I glanced down at myself, expecting once again to see a mangled, bloody body, but I looked fine. Well, not to Sadie apparently.

"Hey!" I objected. "Who are you calling a—"

"And he's in pain!" Sadie said, motioning towards me with her right hand. "We can't possibly go exploring some ancient tunnel with him in this condition!" Well, she was right about the pain, but as a magician, I have come to believe that anything is possible. Before I could say so however, Sadie continued. "I mean, just _look_ at him! He needs _rest _for Thoth's sake!"

"Sadie—" Zia began, sounding exasperated.

"Alright_, enough!"_ I shouted, and instantly regretted it. My words sounded three times louder through my ears (who knew ears could ache?) I waited before the ringing in my head to cease before I continued. "Listen, I appreciate you worrying about me and everything, but we don't have time. We only have ten—_nine _days till Apophis rises." It took me a few seconds to realize that Horus informed me of the deadline yesterday, so we therefore only have nine days before the end of the world, not ten. Yippee.

Zia stared wide eyed at me. Even Sadie was speechless, which is a rare occurrence. Zia, however, was the first to speak. "Well then, we better get a move on. Like Carter said, time's a-wastin'."

I smiled. I was dreading having to answer their questions, because eventually, it would lead to one of them asking me what happened last night. Yet, once again, Zia surprised me. Somehow, she seemed to know that I didn't want to talk about it, and understood. I had never been more grateful in my life.

Sadie looked between Zia and I, a question on her lips. In the end, she kept it to herself. "I guess we ought to," she sighed, and began packing her things. Zia and I copied her example in silence. Within minutes, we had put out the small fire, packed our things, and were off in the direction of the wind.

Zia put my backpack into her locker in the Duat. "You don't mind right?" she asked, but something told me that she already knew my answer. Otherwise, she wouldn't have offered. For the third time that morning, I thanked the gods for Zia. Despite the fact that I had no physical damage, I don't think my shoulders would have been able to carry the backpack. I still felt like I had been run over by a tractor.

"Thanks," I replied, and I meant it. Zia only smiled. "Come on then. We've got a long road ahead of us." And with that, she made a scooping gesture with her hand in the air. Instantly, sparks rose from her fingers, and within moments, Zia was holding a crackling, blazing ball of fire.

"I'll lead," Sadie announced, leaving Zia and I to follow; Zia's fire lighting the way. The eerie silence returned, and in moments, our camp was swallowed by complete and utter darkness.

*::*::*

Everything was going fine, that is, until the pain on my side returned. I mean, it was there all morning, but eventually it became numb, just like the rest of my invisible wounds. That all changed about an hour into our journey. Pain shot up my leg like bullets, and with a gasp, I fell to the ground.

"Carter!" Zia and Sadie cried in unison, instantly at my side. Despite how happy I was to have them with me, I instantly felt guilty. I was slowing everyone down. Time was running out.

"I'm fine," I muttered, hating myself for being so weak. Sadie started to say something, but seemed to think better of it. We walked the next hour in silence.

I gritted my teeth and tried to keep my mind off the agony, but I couldn't help it. Whenever I looked down at my side, I would remember the pus-covered wound. The memories of the man and his daughter followed.

"So, anyone want to play _I Spy?" _Sadie asked, her cheerful voice cutting through the silence. "I'll go first. I spy something…yellow."

"_Sand,_" I muttered, trying to keep the annoyance from my voice.

Sadie nodded and threw a pebble at the wall, which made me flinch. It had sounded a bit like gunfire, something I was much too accustomed to. "How'd you know?"

I rolled my eyes as my hands clenched. The pain on my side increased. _Don't lose it, Carter. Don't lose it…_

"Well, that means it's your turn, Carter. Give us your best shot," Sadie said; each word seemed to hit me like a ton of bricks. Everything hurt, everyone was too loud. I clamped my hands over my ears, but the moment they touched my skin, my ears erupted in pain. I felt something go through my skull—was I shot? Sadie was saying my name, asking me to hurry up. "What do you spy?" What do I spy? I couldn't see. My vision blurred. Every sound struck my ears like bullets. I couldn't take it anymore.

"SADIE, can you just be QUIET?"

"_QUIET?"_

_"QUIET?"_

I heard the last word at least a dozen more times as it echoed through the tunnel. The sound of my booming voice sent my head spinning. After the dizziness decreased, silence followed, and I looked around. Zia had stopped and was gazing at me with a pained expression. Sadie stood in front of me, staring at me like I was some sort of monster. That's when I realized that I had never yelled at Sadie like that. Ever. I mean, sure, we've yelled at each other before, but never like that. I didn't even know I was capable of sounding so loud.

Sadie didn't reply. The moment the words escaped me, I wanted to take them back. Sadie had been nothing but nice to me since she woke up this morning, and now look what I did. What was happening to me?

"Sadie, Sadie I didn't mean—"

But she was already off. Before I could even finish my apology, Sadie broke into a run down the dark trail ahead, without a light as her guide.

_Anything could be down there._

"Sadie!" I called; my voice echoing off the hoary walls. I tried to keep the fear from my voice. "Sadie, come—"

I was interrupted by a scream that reverberated through the tunnel. I froze; willing myself to believe that what I had heard wasn't real. It was a nightmare, a vision. It had to be.

But it wasn't.

"SADIE!" I was off in an instant, despite the searing pain that shot through me with every step. Zia was right behind me, her light illuminating the walls and leaving darkness in her wake. Somehow, the tunnel looked more sinister than before; the sand seemed to wrap around my aching heels as I ran. I refused to think of what might have happened to Sadie. My whole body screamed in pain as I sprinted down the sandy path, but I ignored it. It was like I shifted to autopilot. All I could do was keep running. Nothing else mattered but my sister.

Finally, just as I thought I would collapse, I slammed into something; hard. With a yelp, I fell backwards and landed on top of something soft. I didn't look to see what, because standing still before me was Sadie; unharmed.

"OW!" Zia exclaimed from under me.

"Sorry," I muttered, glancing briefly at Zia to make sure she was alright. "That's been happening a lot, hasn't it?" Now that I knew Sadie was alright, the fear slowly began to disappear. But not fast enough.

"Sadie, what on Earth was that?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice as level as possible, but failing. "Why did you scream like that? We thought-"

"Carter," Sadie whispered, so softly that I had to strain to hear it. "Look."

I did, and what I saw was not something I was expecting. Not two feet in front of Sadie was a wide, bottomless abyss, and beyond that, two huge double doors made out of solid gold; reflecting Zia's fire like the sun itself.

Sadie pointed to the hieroglyphics carved into the doors that glowed like sunlight. Her hushed voice seemed to flow over the gaping hole like the wind over an endless field; soft and barely noticed. But I heard it. We all did.

"_Welcome, travelers, to the City of the Sun. Welcome to the kingdom of Ra."_

*::*::*

**THEY MADE IT! Horrah! Again, SO SO SO SO SO SORRY I took so long to update! It's technology, I tell you! It's against me! ;) I'll be updating again this week, so stay tuned! And PLEASE review guys. It takes five seconds. It just has to be one word! Is that too much to ask? Thanks again, and don't forget the Character Question! :)**

**love,**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	15. Chapter 15

**Here's the next chapter. Hope you like it!**

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"We made it. We _actually _made it!" Sadie shouted, her chirpy voice complete with a British accent echoing off the ancient, golden walls. "Now…how exactly are we getting across?"

Sadie did have a point. There wasn't a bridge, and it's not like we had any material to build one. And it was definitely too wide to jump across. How _were _we gonna get to the other side?

"Hey Zia, do you still have that bird thingy?" Sadie asked. " Like, the _enormous_ bird of prey you had handy the day we battled Set? If so, we could all fly across!"

I almost laughed at the absurdity of the idea, but I guess Sadie did have a point. With something that big, we _could_ fly across. Zia shook her head. "I haven't seen it since last Christmas Eve. I'm assuming it's wherever the remains of my shabti are."

I shuddered at the memory of Zia's face cracking before my very eyes. "Um…any bright ideas then, Zia?" I asked, turning to face her. "Like some long, magical bridge up your sleeve or something?"

Zia rolled her eyes, but something told me she wasn't really annoyed. "I'm not sure about a magical bridge, but I may have an idea." Then she smiled a mischievous smile, and suddenly, I wasn't too enthusiastic about crossing this abyss. Whatever Zia had planned, it wasn't going to be safe, and something told me I wasn't gonna to like it.

*::*::*

"I don't like this!" I shouted about twenty minutes later in my falcon-avatar form, not two feet from the bottomless hole. "This is seriously NOT gonna end well—at least for me anyways!"

"That's the point," Sadie said as Zia laughed. "Now stop acting like a baby and jump."

I glanced at the hole and quickly looked away. "You do realize that this is stupid, right? I'm heavy in this thing. It's like moving through_ jello_. How do you expect me to jump across a twenty foot wide abyss?"

Zia grinned. "I don't."

"Wait, what do you mean—?"

"Just reach in front of you, okay?" she said, though something in her voice made me think that maybe she wasn't so sure of this plan as I thought. "Oh, and don't let go."

I didn't like the sound of this at all. _"Zia_—"

"Go!" Zia and Sadie shouted in unison, and together, they pushed me over the edge into the bottomless hole below.

_Did I mention I do _NOT _like this idea?_

"Ahhhh!" I yelled as I fell forward into the air. Some small part of my brain that wasn't panicking told me to reach out, but I was too shocked to move. My own _sister _ and _Zia _pushed me off the edge to my death! What were they thinking? I was doomed. _Totally _ doomed.

"Put your arms out, Carter!" Zia shouted. "REACH!"

Something in her voice made me obey, and as I reached forward, my large, avatar arms grabbed hold of the sandy floor on the other side of the abyss. It took me a few seconds to realize that I wasn't falling to my death, but after I did, I still wasn't thrilled. I could still fall any second, and I was still in shock over what had occurred.

Sadie and Zia were each holding on to one of my legs, and my arms were clinging to the sand-covered edge for dear life. That's when I realized that Zia had planned this all. I was a human bridge.

"All aboard!" I heard Sadie shout, and then I felt her walking slowly over my avatar form. It didn't hurt; the avatar absorbed all their weight, but I was still angry. What if I had _fallen?_ My avatar form was too heavy; they never would have been able to hold on to my legs for long. Could I really be that expendable?

In no time, Zia and Sadie were across the abyss and standing before me.

"You can deactivate it now, Carter," Zia told me. I didn't meet her eyes. Could I seriously trust her again? Then again, if I couldn't trust Zia, who could I trust?

Zia seemed to sense my conflicting thoughts and smiled. "I won't let you fall, Carter. Trust me."

Trust her? _Trust_ her? Right after she risked my life without even telling me what her real plan was? What did she take me for? Still, it's not like I could hang at the edge of a cliff forever. My legs and arms were already screaming in protest. Finally, I glanced up at Zia, whose gaze hadn't left my face. _Trust me._

That decided it.

"Okay," I said a little shakily. Zia grabbed hold of my arms and gripped them tightly.

"Ready?" she whispered, her face a few inches from mine. If this hadn't been a life or death situation, I would have blushed. For all I know, maybe I did. Hopefully she had mistaken my blush for fear. Hey, you never know.

"Ready as I'll ever be," I managed to reply, praying to every god I could think of.

_Please, _PLEASE _let Zia be as strong as she looks!_

With a final glance Sadie and Zia, I deactivated my falcon avatar. As I did so, I felt the outer layer dissolved and my legs fell downward. I was no longer a human bridge. Now I was simply falling—or at least I would have been, if Zia hadn't been hanging half way over the edge, her hands still clamped tightly over mine.

"Sadie, slowly pull me up, will you?" Zia called, not looking scared at all, even though she was only hanging by her legs. Whatever Sadie replied, I didn't hear, but then Zia slowly inched her way back toward the edge, pulling me along with her. I tried to hide the fact that I was shaking like crazy, but failed. Zia's eyes never left mine, and I made sure mine never left hers. If I looked down, I would probably pass out.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Zia and I were sprawled on the gold-tiled floor, breathing heavily. It was then that I vowed to never let my feet leave the ground again. At least if I could help it.

"Thanks," I breathed, still trying to convince myself that I wasn't dangling over a bottomless pit.

Zia, who looked just as tired as I felt, replied, "Anytime." We smiled.

Sadie, who was standing off to the side, rolled her eyes. "And thanks Sadie, my brave, _amazing_ sister, for _helping _pull me to safety along with my girlfriend_,"_ she muttered in a bad imitation of my voice.

I laughed and prayed my face wasn't as red as it felt. "Thanks Sadie."

"You're welcome," she huffed, then turned her back on us. "Now if you two love birds are done staring at each other, can we please try to open these dazzling doors?"

I leaped to my feet in spite of my body's protests and held out my hand to Zia, who still sat on the floor.

"Shall we?" I asked, sounding extra polite, just to annoy Sadie.

Zia must have caught on; because she replied in an overly sweet voice I didn't know she was capable of making. "Of _course, _Carter!"

Still laughing, we ran after Sadie who was standing in front of the two double doors, her hands on her hips. I tried not to think of the events at the abyss, but again, I failed. Something told me, however, that they didn't purposely push me to my almost-death. I was the only one who could activate the avatar form, after all. We didn't have any other choice. Besides, if I had known, I probably would have freaked out. Zia must have guessed this, which is why she and Sadie pushed me at the last second. And she did manage to tell me what to do before I fell to my death. In a way, she saved my life while endangering it at the same time.

"So Carter, can you lift up these doors like you did the 21st Nome's?" Sadie questioned as she ran her hand down the smooth golden surface. "Either that or we could ram your head into it. As thick as you are though, even _you_ couldn't break through these things."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks for the offer, Sadie, but I think I'll go with choice number one." I raised my arms into the air and tried to imagine the doors rising high enough for the three of us to crawl under. When I opened my eyes, however, I realized nothing had happened.

"…Sorry, was something supposed to happen?"

I sighed in exasperation. "Shut up, Sadie! I'm trying to concentrate."

"Mouth shutting."

I moaned but managed to calm myself down anyway. _Sisters._

Anyway, it wasn't hard to realize that those doors were _much_ heavier the one at the 21st Nome. I was going to need a lot more strength if I wanted to lift those things. After a moment's hesitation, I decided to take the magic from my own reserves. It would make me stronger, but only for a brief amount of time. Still, we needed to get to the other side of those doors. The importance of the Book outweighed the risks.

"Get ready to run," I informed Sadie and Zia. "I won't be able to hold it for long."

Zia stepped towards me, looking concerned. "Carter, maybe we should wait. You're already wiped out from the avatar—"

"No more stalling, Zia. I've slowed us down enough. We're running out of time," I said, turning my back on her before she could protest. I could do this. It couldn't be too difficult, right?

Then again, I've been wrong before.

"One…"

I closed my eyes and tried to block out everything around me. All that mattered was the doors.

"Two…"

I could actually feel the power on the other side of the wall. It seemed to hit me in long waves, and although you could barely notice them if you weren't paying close attention, I knew that whatever was beyond these doors was powerful. _Very_ powerful.

"Three!"

I raised both my hands at once, instantly feeling a strong pain in my gut, as if a boy scout was tying it in tight, complex knots for another merit badge (not that I had ever actually _been_ a boy scout.) Beads of sweat dripped down my face as the doors sluggishly rose into the air. In an instant, Sadie and Zia were under the doors. I was about to break my concentration when I realized something: there was _no way_ I could crawl under these five ton doors and keep them hovering in the air at the same time. I would have to be left behind.

"Carter! Come on!" Zia called from under the golden doors.

I gasped as the pain in my gut increased. The doors were beginning to slowly make their way back down to the floor. "I…can't. You and Sadie…go. I'll… be fine," I panted, desperately searching for more strength inside me that wasn't there. A few more seconds and I could burst into flames.

I was about to let go when I realized that Zia was still under there. "I'm not leaving without you, Carter! Either make your way over here _right now_ or let the doors crush me."

Was she serious? I could always wait and see if she'd back down, but something told me she wouldn't. She knew I wouldn't do that, I realized. Zia was forcing me to hold on. I really didn't have a choice; I had to get to those doors.

Slowly, I edged my way to the opening, despite the growing pain in my chest. The entrance was beginning to disappear; a few more seconds and I'd be trapped. In a few more seconds, Zia would be crushed.

I picked up my pace then, trying to focus on anything but the doors. It didn't work.

Finally, I made it to the small opening, only about a foot in height. Cautiously, I went down to my knees, my eyes still closed. I could hear Sadie yelling my name, but she sounded miles away. Shaking with exhaustion, I finally began to crawl through the sand. I could feel the bottom of the doors closing in, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't move any faster. Zia, who was still under the massive golden gateway, grabbed hold of my arms and pulled. The moment she did so, however, my concentration broke. The doors fell to the ground with a deafening crash, just as Zia and I fell to the floor, safely on the other side.

*::*::*

The sand was painfully scratching at my face, but I was too tired to move. I had fallen face first onto the tiled floor, but at that point, I didn't care. I could sense Zia beside me and Sadie somewhere off to my left. In an instant, my sister was at my side.

"Good God, Carter! I thought it_ crushed_ you!" Sadie cried as she knelt on the floor beside me. "Why on_ Earth_ didn't you follow us? You scared me half to death!"

If I had been strong enough to roll my eyes, I would have. Though I had to admit, I was scared to death myself. The thought of Sadie and Zia trapped on the other side of the wall without me sent shivers down my spine. I couldn't leave my sister out of my sight…no matter how tempting it may seem [Hey, you have to admit, Sadie, you _are _ a little annoying sometimes…okay_, don't_ admit it.]

"You alright?" Zia asked, wiping the sand off her robe. "That was a close one."

"Tell me about it," I muttered into the floor. I waited another minute to gather some strength, and then, ever so slowly, got to my feet. About ten feet ahead of me, Sadie and Zia were already discussing our next move.

"—then it should lead us to the Book! It can't be far now," Zia was saying to Sadie, who looked annoyed as usual. "Besides, it's not like we can go back. See those locked doors? We're stuck. All we can do is move forward."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Between a rock and a hard place," Sadie muttered. "But still, I'm not so sure about going on right away. Maybe we should wait till morning. God knows what else Ra has in his little palace. Just getting here nearly killed us!"

"Zia's right, Sadie," I pointed out before she could go on. "Like I said before, we don't have time. We need the Book, ASAP."

"Well then, Mr. Know-It-All, where exactly should be go?" Sadie questioned. "There are a dozen corridors in here. Any one of them could lead us to this almighty book."

I had been so wiped out, I hadn't noticed our surroundings. The room we were standing in was huge, like one of those medieval ball rooms with dangling chandeliers you see in movies, only this room was covered in gold, and I mean _literally_ covered in pure gold. Everything was glistening with the stuff, making the room seem like it was producing its own light. Even the floor seemed to radiate heat.

As far as I could tell, the place was abandoned. The wind hadn't stopped blowing though, and it seemed to be coming from the hieroglyphic-painted corridor directly in front of us.

"I say we go that way. If we follow the wind, it'll likely lead us to the Book."

"Told you we should follow the breathing tunnel," Zia whispered with a grin to Sadie, who stuck out her tongue.

"Alrighty then," Sadie said at last. "Who wants to go down the freakishly quiet tunnel in the banished god's kingdom first?"

No one raised their hand, not even Zia. I sighed. "I'll go first," I announced, walking into the tunnel ahead of me. After a few steps, I realized that my body wasn't aching anymore. I no longer felt like I'd been stabbed, shot, or even exhausted. In fact, despite the fact, I felt great, which instantly made me suspicious.

"Wow, nothing like a few close calls with death to make you feel more alive," Sadie observed, quickening her pace. "I feel like a million bucks."

Zia raised an eyebrow. "I do feel a little strange…"

Before I could comment on how weird this all was, Sadie gasped, causing me to jump a foot in the air. I expected to see another bottomless pit or a man-eating demon from the Duat in front of us, but all there was was a door. And from under that door was a strong wind blowing in and out like someone breathing. This was the source of the breathing tunnel.

The door wasn't anything special. It was a rickety old thing that was halfway off its hinge. The wood it was made of was old and decayed, and it creaked with each inhale of the tunnel's breath. I was the first to move, and cautiously, I peered into the darkened room ahead; my hand gripping the rusty handle as the door blew open. Sadie and Zia looked from over my shoulder.

The room was empty. There were no golden walls, no elaborate hieroglyphics, or mounds of treasure that covered the floors of tombs you see in films. Instead, there was only one piece of furniture in the room, and it was a makeshift, ancient looking pedestal. And resting on top of its dull surface was…was…

"That's it," Zia whispered, her hair brushing against my ear from the wind. "It's the Book."

Etched into the pedestal were a few plain hieroglyphics that looked like they had been written by someone in a hurry. Despite their appearance, the words seemed to radiate power. This was the source of the energy I felt earlier, and despite my limited knowledge of hieroglyphics, I didn't need Sadie to translate the four words before me.

"_The Book of Ra."_

*::*::*

**Yeah! They found the BOOK! Or did they...?**

**;) Anyway, thanks for reading, guys! I'll be updating more often, so keep checking in! Oh, and review! :D**

**love,**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello all! I am not gonna bore you with excuses. I've been busy (haven't we all?) so I'm sorry for not updating in a while. I just want to say: great job, people! More and more Kane Chronicles fanfics are being written, so woohoo! There are a lot of new ones, so check em' out if you haven't yet. Also, send in a story for ILuvZarter's contest! The more Zarter, the better. :) I would but I, ah, I have my hands full with this one, as you can see. ;) Good luck, and I'll be posting the winners of the Character Question in the next chapter! Enjoy!**

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"Oh-My-GOD!" Sadie screamed, being the first to speak as usual. I was still too shocked to move. It was _right there,_ the book that's supposed to save the world.

_The Book of Ra._

The three of us walked slowly towards the pedestal as if the Book was dynamite. Hey, Ra was a powerful god, not to mention the _sun_ god. Who knows how much power is in those pages? One wrong touch and I could become a human torch in seconds.

Zia was the first to lay a finger the book. Sadie and I waited to see if anything happened, but she was still in one piece.

"So…do we just open it?" I asked, touching the hard cover that was buried in a thick layer of dust and sand.

For once, even Zia looked unsure. "Well, it's definitely powerful, but I think we can…"

Sadie let out an exasperated sigh. "Oh for God's sake!" she cried, pushing me aside. "_I'll_ do it!"

"Sadie—" I said in a warning tone, reaching for her arm. Zia looked up from the cover in alarm.

"Um, I wouldn't do that—"

Sadie flung open the Book, emphasis on the word _flung._The way she did it would have given any historian a heart attack. I mean, this thing was _old_. I had expected the material to crumble in her fingers or tear, but the Book opened just like your average twenty-pound math book. So much for _that._

Sadie smiled triumphantly. "Oh, real _scary_. And you two were _so_ worried."

I shook my head and tried to hide the fact that I had actually been worried about her. "You never know, Sadie. Don't do something stupid like that again. Next time, you might not be so lucky."

She rolled her blue eyes that looked so much like our mother's. "Hey, it worked didn't it?"

I knew I wasn't getting to her, so I decided to drop it. Zia and I crowded around Sadie as she flipped through the aged, yellow pages. Sadie whistled.

"What?" I asked, wishing I could read hieroglyphics. "What does it say? Does it tell you how to defeat Apophis?"

"Nope. It says, 'How to summon gold from the Nile.' That must come in pretty handy, huh?"

My heart sank. "I thought this was supposed to help us with the whole save-the-world thing. How is summoning gold from a river gonna kill the serpent?"

Zia glanced up from the Book. "This isn't just a book about Apophis, Carter. This is Ra's spell book. He put anything he wanted in here. It helped his during his reign as King of the Gods."

Sadie snorted. "Well, he couldn't have been a very good king. He didn't even have cooks! This whole page is full of recipes. 'How to brew Memoria Venenum.' Is that some sort of Spanish dish with venison? Gross! My Gramps brought that meat home once and God was it _awful!"_

I rolled my eyes. "Spain didn't exist back then, Sadie! And venison is eaten all over the world—not just in Spain!"

Sadie looked shocked, as if this was new information for her. "Oh. Well, it _sounded_ Spanish."

"Memoria Venenum," Zia muttered to herself. "I know this one…that's Latin! Memory something. Potion maybe? Drug?"

"Memory drug?" Sadie asked skeptically. "Like Crack? I hear that does some wacky things to your head…"

She stopped talking once she saw me looking at her like she was insane, which she sort of was. Gods, when she goes to high school, she'll probably be voted _The One Most Likely to Make the Most Stupid Comments_. And a competition for the The Most Annoying Adolescent Award? Psh, Sadie would win by a landslide. The possibilities were endless. [_Ow!_ Okay, okay, so maybe you'd receive _second_ place—_OW!_]

Anyway, after rolling my eyes again, I said, "No, as in a _drug_, like an antidote. You know, a remedy? A form of therapy?" I sighed when I saw her, standing there and looking completely lost. "_A cure?"_I tried.

"_Oh_. Why didn't you say so?" Sadie asked, unfazed by my annoyed expression. "What are you, anyway? A walking Webster's dictionary?"

"So, Memory Drug," Zia stated before I could comment. "He must have used it to wipe the memories of enemies."

"Note to self: Do NOT become Ra's enemy," Sadie muttered.

"We just broke into his realm uninvited and are about to read/ 'borrow' his most prized procession," I reminded her. "Yeah, I'm sure that'll get us on his good side."

Sadie's eyes widened in shock. "Crap. There goes my education. I'll have to go back to the first grade and learn maths _all over again._" She shuddered. "On the plus side, I would be able to forget I'm related to Carter..."

"Hey!"

"And I would be able to forget I've ever been associated with both of you!" Zia shouted. "So shut it before I _accidently_ perform this spell!"

We shut up.

"_Anyway,_" Zia said in an annoyed tone. "We better keep looking. What else does the Book say, Sadie?"

"Well, _Mum_, it says a bunch of stuff," Sadie muttered, flipping a few pages. "Ah, lovely; 'How to Mummify The Pharaoh's Cat'. Gosh, he has everything in here except 'How to Defeat Apophis for Dummies.'"

It took all my energy not to smile. "Or 'Chicken Soup for the Magical Soul,'" I offered in a serious voice.

This time, even Zia grinned. "Or 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to Saving the World,'" she said, trying to keep a straight face.

In no time, we were all cracking up. After a minute or so, we were back to examining the Book. Now, I'm sure a number of you are listening to this recording and muttering, "God_, these_ are the people who are gonna decide the fate of the world? _We're doomed!_" but give us a break. I'm not Superman, and Sadie is _definitely_ not Wonder Woman.

After about fifty pages of pointless spells, Sadie struck gold. Well, not _real_ gold, but you get the idea. [_No,_ Sadie. Not gold from the Nile! Now shut up!]

"Ah ha! 'How to Defeat Apep, the Embodiment of Choas.'" Sadie read, her voice full of excitement. "Apep is the same thing as Apophis, right?"

"Right," Zia whispered. "So…that's it? Right there? The spell that could decide the fate of the planet?"

I had to admit, I was a little stunned myself. Hieroglyphics written in faded red ink (at least I _hope_ it was ink) covered the thick, papyrus pages. It looked extremely complex, and my eyes hurt just trying to read them.

"Yup," Sadie said cheerfully. "It's like an ancient form of eHow. Everything is step by step. Now I know what people mean when they say Egypt was ahead of its time." Then she fell silent and quietly read through the spell, her eyes wide as she deciphered the hieroglyphics. After about a minute of staring at her, Zia and I got anxious. Hey, the world was ending in just a few days. We didn't have time to waste, and I never was really good at standing still for long periods of time. Besides, this place was starting to give me the creeps.

"Earth to Sadie! Come in, Sadie!" I said, waving my hand in front of her face.

"...Huh? Oh, yeah," Sadie murmured, sounding dazed. I was about to ask if she was alright, but she interrupted me as usual.

"I must say, this is a pretty complicated ritual. Who makes these _stupid_spells, anyway?"

She was fine, all right.

Sadie wordlessly continued to turn the ancient pages until there was suddenly no more to flip. Her eyes narrowed at the last page. Then she murmured something too quiet for us to hear.

"What?" I asked, looking at her dismayed expression. "_What?_"

"We're missing pages," she whispered, running her finger down the last page.

Now it was Zia's turn to be shocked. "Say _what?_"

"We're missing pages. Look."

Sadie pointed to the Book, and sure enough, small pieces of pages stuck out of the binding, as if someone had ripped them out in a hurry.

"The spell to save the world is incomplete," Sadie announced, her voice leaking disappointment and anger. "The final steps to defeating Apophis are missing."

*::*::*

"So what do we do _now?_" Sadie moaned. "They could be anywhere! Didn't Egypt have any respect for books? I mean, who _does that_? That's just stupid!"

"Or smart," Zia said, her eyes troubled. "Ra was just thinking ahead. What if this Book fell in the wrong hands? Then they'd not only have all of Ra's spells, but they would also hold the key to defeating the serpent. And what if they chose not to act? The world would end. It's better to split up the spell to prevent it from falling into the clutches of, say, Apophis' demons. Or Set. Or—"

"Okay, okay, maybe he did have a reason," Sadie admitted. "But it doesn't make _our_ lives any easier. We still don't know where the heck they are, if they even still _exist_."

"Well, how much do you think is actually missing?" I questioned Sadie. "Like, only a few pages, or—"

"—a _lot_," Sadie muttered. Look at the binding. We have, like, ten pages of the spell. I'd say we're missing about twenty."

"_Twenty_?" This day was getting worse by the second.

"That's what I said, didn't I?" Sadie snapped bitterly. "I hate this! We've come all this way for _nothing!_ Now the world's only ten—nine—days from ending, and there's absolutely _nothing_we can do about it. I _hate_ stupid Ra!"

"Sadie—" I began.

Seething with anger, Sadie lifted the Book off its pedestal (to throw it no doubt.) Just as she did, the ground began to shake. Again, Ra surprised us with his knack for security. He must have set booby traps for a hobby.

"Run!" I shouted, doing a 360 around the room to look for possible exits.

"Run _where?_" Sadie yelled through the din, sounding angry and weary at the same time. Slabs of rock had begun to fall from the ceiling, crashing onto the tiled floor and bursting apart in hundreds of sharp, heavy pieces.

I glanced at Zia, whose eyes were shut in concentration. Then they opened in surprise, and Zia raised her arms into the air. "Portal!" she yelled, and instantly, a swirling vortex appeared in the air before us.

Leave it to Zia to come up with a plan on such short notice.

Sadie jumped through it first, the Book tucked under her shoulder. In an instant, she was gone.

The second she disappeared, exhaustion and pain hit me like a train at full speed. I gasped and staggered backward just as an endless cascade of sand began to fall.

"What the—?"

Zia's hand grabbed mine. "It's the Book, Carter!" she screamed, as if that explained everything. "Come _on!_"

Bracing myself for pain, I jumped into the portal with Zia beside me. The sooner we left Heliopolis, the better. Anything was better than being underground.

I changed my mind as soon as Zia and I fell to the sandy floor beside Sadie. At first, everything seemed fine. I felt better, a _lot_better, as if I had just gotten a good night's sleep and eaten a hot meal. Before I could say so, I heard an anguished cry off to my right.

We were lying in the middle of the First Nome.

We were surrounded by magicians…

…and they didn't look too happy to see us.

*::*::*

**0_0 Holy smokes! Magician alert! What will happen…**

**The truth? I don't know ;) Like I said, I'm sorta making this up as I go, but I have a few ideas I know you'll like, so stay tuned! :) As for all you guys who thought we'd be meeting Ra, well, sorry. That obviously didn't happen, but you never know what the future may hold. *wink* Review please and thanks for reading this far! Only 37 more days till The Throne of Fire is released here in the States, people! I for one can't wait! I'll try to update on Monday or Tuesday! :)**

**Love,**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello everyone! It's been quite a while since I've updated (sorry for that!) but I'm proud to say that this is the longest chapter I've written so far :D I'm also extremely happy because this week is my _vacation_ (Woohoo!) so I'm gonna be updating at least three chapters this week (no lie) so stay tuned! Hope you like it! :)**

C

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"Uh, hey guys," I said cautiously, giving the magicians a small wave. "Sorry to drop in on your…shopping spree."

I took in my surroundings. To my left were a few dozen wooden booths selling from foreign spices to pieces of silk cloth. The air smelled like pepper, making me want to sneeze (not that I would, because that wouldn't look too heroic.)

When I glanced back at the crowd of magicians in their long, grey robes, they didn't look any happier. They did look confused though; probably narrowing down their painful, powerful spells to find the perfect one to kill me. Hey, when you have almost unlimited power, the possibilities are endless.

Sadie pinched my arm, making me flinch. I shot her a death glare as she said, "Yeah, don't listen to him. He's…uh…delusional! In fact, we were just bringing him to his 2:00 therapy session, so if you'll excuse us—"

She tried raising her arms to summon another portal, but the moment she moved, about twenty magicians raised their glowing staffs and pointed them towards us. Well, so much for _that_ plan.

"Any other bright ideas?" I whispered to no one in particular. Before Sadie or Zia could answer, someone in the crowd gasped.

"_It's Zia!_" someone exclaimed. Everyone's eyes trained on Zia, who had been standing as still as a statue behind me. The marketplace instantly burst into chaos.

"Traitor!" one shouted.

"Wretched spy!" yelled the magician to my left.

"You don't deserve to come back here!" another accused.

More and more magicians started yelling out cruel comments, and although I couldn't quite catch all of them, I knew they weren't the kind of comments that would make you go all warm and fuzzy inside.

Zia, however, looked unfazed by their insults. She stared into the eyes of the magicians with a determined expression. Behind all her pride, though, I noticed how she seemed to flinch a little with each remark. This was worse than being attacked. The only place Zia had ever really known never wanted to see her again. It was killing her.

I was seething with anger as the comments continued. This _had_ to stop.

"Hey!" I shouted, my voice echoing loudly off the weathered walls. "Shut _up!_ Who do you think you _are?_ Zia helped save _your_ sorry _lives_, and _this_ is how you repay her?"

Dead silence followed. I didn't dare look at Zia, but I felt her eyes on me. _Everyone's_ eyes were on me.

In case you're ever in this kind of situation, I highly advise you not to say what I just said, because insulting pigheaded magicians only makes them madder. In seconds, three Egyptian hulks had their strong, muscular arms around our shoulders and led us towards the Hall of Ages, where our French friend had wanted to kill us last year. We've only met a few times, so we still haven't gotten past the "mortal enemies" level. And something told me that meeting him one more time wasn't going change anything. Yeah, unless the Chief Lector greets us with chocolates and flowers to apologize, I won't be sending Desjardins a Christmas card _any time_ soon.

I could tell before we were pushed through the doors that this wasn't gonna be a happy reunion. The Frenchman himself, with his forked beard and cream-colored robes, was seated on a large, wooden throne; the one Iskandar had said was for the pharaoh. The fact that he was actually sitting on the throne really pissed me off. He was the _Chief Lector,_ not the _ruler of Egypt_.

As I got closer, I realized he was smirking at us with a confident, triumphant expression on his face that I instantly wanted to punch (and I'm usually not the violent type, but this guy seriously rubs me the wrong way.) By the time we reached the circular dais, Desjardins' expression hadn't faltered. Anger coursed through me, making it hard to concentrate on anything but wringing his neck.

About three seconds later, I realized that something was different about the throne room. Sure, it still had the ancient holograms of the gods dating back to the beginning of time, but the air was…empty. And by empty, I mean that there wasn't any multicolored hieroglyphics floating through the air. It made the room look more depressing somehow, as if it was missing something important. That's when I remembered Iskandar was the one who made the levitating hieroglyphics. He was the heart of the First Nome, and now he was gone. And maybe, just maybe, a part of the Nome died with him too.

"Well, well, if it isn't the little godlings," Desjardins said with forced politeness. Or, at least, I _think_ that's what he said. His French accent was thicker than I remembered. "What a…_pleasant_ surprise."

Something told me he was looking for a worse word than "pleasant." The three of us glared at him in return.

"And…_Zia!_" he exclaimed in mock surprise. "My, my, I didn't expect to see _you_ here. Didn't you pass on last December after you betrayed us all? Oh, wait, that's right, you were _clay_. You shattered into nothing, didn't you? Explains why we couldn't find your body, and why we couldn't burn your remains like we do with every other traitor. Either that or we could have always sold you. You don't see such craftsmanship these days." Desjardins circled around Zia and observed her like she was some livestock was thinking of buying. Finally, he made a _tsk, tsk,_ sound and said, "Shame, you would have gone nice with the rest of the pottery."

_Ouch._

Zia's expression was unfaltering, but I saw a trace of sorrow in her dark, brown eyes. I was about to say something, probably along the lines of "shut your face" and a few unprintable words, but Desjardins wasn't through.

"It was old Iskandar, wasn't it, who hid you? Didn't want his number one student going to waste, did he? It's genius, really, how he constructed it." My hands clenched when he said "it." Seriously? Weren't Chief Lectors supposed to be, like, polite or something, because this guy had a mean streak big enough to get him casted for _Mean Girls._

"I hear you're conscious the whole time, but unaware that you're actually artificial," Desjardins continued. "Strange, because it fits your personality perfectly. I always was suspicious of you; that you'd betray us one day. It was all a cover up so you could run off to New Mexico with Kane, here. What would Iskandar have said if he had known his Zia had betrayed him? It would have shattered his ancient little heart." he concluded in a voice that leaked fake empathy.

Zia flinched at the mention of Iskandar, which only made me angrier. What was this guy's _problem?_ I was trying to control my anger (like imagining a huge chunk of marble falling from the ceiling onto Desjardins' head, for example) but in the end, I snapped. Yes, I know it was wrong. Yeah, I'm sure all the health teachers out there are shaking their heads and going through the ways to release bad vibes or whatever, but a) I never went to school, so I never _had_ health class or classes in anger management, and b) at that moment, I seriously didn't _care._

"Huh, funny you should mention that. I never told you this Desjardins, but you fit the role of "total backstabber" pretty well yourself," I said conversationally. "Where do you think Zia got _that_ from?"

"Carter—" Zia whispered in a warning tone.

"And I for one am surprised this place is still standing, what with you in charge and all," I commented, despite Zia's anxious gaze. "It seems to me that the market isn't as stocked as it used to be. In a little financial trouble, are we? Spent all the money on croissants? I guess that would explain the bigger robe size, eh?"

Desjardins glowered at me. He seemed to be having second thoughts; probably deciding whether or not to disintegrate me on the spot or to let me live for another minute or so.

Finally, he put on another fake smile, but I could see the hatred in his dark eyes.

"Very observant of you, Kane, but as usual, your assumptions are false," Desjardins stated with an air of superiority. This guy seriously had a _huge_ ego going. "We are merely stocking up. One needs to feed their army, don't they?"

"Wait, whaaa?" Sadie said, talking for the first time. "An _army_? _You?_ Don't make me _laugh_."

"On the contrary, Miss Kane. The First Nome, with the assistance of the other Nomes across the world, is creating an army against the serpent," the Frenchman explained. "We obviously can't count on those hopeless, selfish, and— périmé?— _obsolete_ gods to save us, so it is up to the magicians to save the world. And we will," he concluded, without even a _trace_ of doubt in magniloquent-sounding voice. (That's probably one of the longest words I've ever said, and no, I don't actually use that word in normal conversation. In fact, I was looking up a word for "Desjardins" in the dictionary and came across that one. It seemed to fit his personality pretty well.)

In other words, his pompous attitude was pushing me over the edge. Okay, I believe that everyone should have a high-ish self esteem, but this guy's was over the roof.

"Don't need the _gods?_ What are you, _insane_ or something?" I asked, throwing my hands up in frustration. "Wait, don't answer that. I already know the answer."

From the corner of my eye, I could see Sadie trying not to break into hysterical laughter (and failing.) Well, at least _someone_ was enjoying this.

Before the Frenchman could comment, I continued, "Desjardins, we all have to work together to save the world, and that includes the gods. I know you haven't gotten along in the past—"

"Gotten along? _Along?" _Desjardins spat, his voice rising with each word. "Listen_, Kane_, it's the gods that didn't get along with _us._ They are selfish, and that will _never_ change. We are no longer going to be pawns for those immortals. We have our _own_ power. Don't you see? The world doesn't _need _them anymore."

"But we do need the gods, no matter what!" I argued, taking a step forward, which made the hulks more nervous. Well, they should be. I was _this close_ to losing it on this freak.

Luckily, in the past year, I had a growth spurt (insert applause here), so I was now a few inches taller than Sadie and level in height with Desjardins (who wasn't that tall to begin with, but don't burst my bubble.)

I took another step forward and looked him right in the eye.

"The world will fall if we all don't work together. The gods want to save the planet as much as you do, Desjardins. True, they're far from perfect, but so are we!"

"Obviously," Sadie muttered, glaring at Desjardins.

"So I suggest that you fight with the gods, just this once," I continued, glaring at the Chief Lector. "You may think you can take on the serpent on your own, but the reality is that you _can't._ But neither can the _gods_; it just isn't possible. But, if you all work _together,_ then we may actually have a chance to defeat it. You won't only save your own life, but billions of others."

I, for one, thought it was a pretty good speech, considering the fact that I was being held prisoner by a loony Frenchman and his group of Egyptian hulks. Desjardins, on the other hand, wasn't so moved.

"Ah, but we _are_ saving lives, Carter," he said in a persuasive tone. "Like I said before, our army is well equipped, and we _will_ defeat the serpent, including any god or magician that stands in our way." He looked pointedly at us before he finished. "It's time for a new golden age, one where the people rule the world, without the influence of mythological forces. You can either join us or be terminated. Think about it. You have until sundown."

There was a long, awkward silence. Desjardins was obviously waiting for us to drop on our knees and beg for mercy. Usually, when people receive death threats, they're flustered and freaked out. _My _first thought, on the other hand, was: _Sundown? Laaaame._

After another twenty seconds of silence, I couldn't take it anymore. "Um, is this where the dramatic music is supposed to chime in, 'cause I'm not feeling the terror."

Desjardins' face instantly reddened, and something told me it was not from embarrassment.

Sadie, however, seemed just as unfazed from Desjardins' threat as I was.

"Gosh, why is every life changing decision's deadline at _sundown_?" she muttered, more annoyed than frightened. "I mean, talk about _old school_."

"That's it!" Desjardins shouted in a voice I didn't think he was capable of making. "My patience is wearing thin. Five-thirty, then, Miss Kane! See how you like _that!_"

"Actually, 'You have till five thirty' sorta has a ring to it. Don't you agree?" Sadie asked, looking at me and Zia expectantly.

"Totally," I said in a serious tone.

"Couldn't agree more," Zia chimed in halfheartedly.

"_Enough!_" Desjardins roared, slamming his staff onto the floor (for the dramatic effect, no doubt, since we've already recognized the fact that his evil scheme lacked dramatic music.) "Guards, get these traitors out of my sight!"

And with that, our meeting with the Chief Lector was over. The hulks in robes gripped our shoulders (only harder this time, which was no picnic) and practically pushed us down the empty hallway.

After directing us through the labyrinth of chambers and abandoned hallways, the hulks finally loosened their grip on us. I was about to attack when a wooden door flew open. Before I could even react, the three of us were shoved into the darkness ahead. I landed hard on the sandy floor, and looked up just in time to see the hulks slam the door shut; throwing the room into darkness. I heard the turning of a key in the rusted, steel lock a few moments later, followed by heavy footsteps that got softer and softer until they had disappeared completely.

Instantly, Zia summoned a light. I blinked a couple of times, and then did a 360 of the room, which didn't take long, because it was ridiculously small.

We were thrown in a…dungeon? Nah, I've never actually been in medieval prison, but this definitely wasn't one. It didn't have any human bones or blood on the walls, so I don't think it deserved to have a dramatic name like "dungeon." Living closet, maybe? Yeah, that sounds about right.

We were trapped in a small, empty living closet with nothing but a broom and a pail for company. Jeesh, were we so pathetic that our arch enemy didn't even think we deserved a normal prison? Even a bedroom would have been better than this. Talk about insulting. It was like a slap in the face, without getting to slap the other guy back afterward.

"Well, this is a new low for me," I muttered, kicking the broom against the wall. I mean, being trapped with Windex and furniture polish? Gods, even being put in shackles would have made me feel better. At least then I would know they were actually afraid of us.

"Yeah, well, it won't be for long," Sadie said in a voice that suggested that she was just as annoyed as I was. "At five-thirty, we can escape and kick some stupid magician butt. They'll never throw Sadie Kane in with the house keeping supplies again!"

"Jeesh, Sadie," I moaned, remembering the whole "sundown" conversation. "Of all times, you _had_ to agree with five thirty?"

"You agreed with me!"she argued.

"That's just because you already made fun of him," I said, knowing Sadie wouldn't understand. "I wanted us to _look_ like we didn't care, but obviously, _we do_."

"Ah, well. I for one enjoyed myself. Seeing his face redden like a tomato made my day."

I sighed and leaned against the marble wall. This was a horrible idea. The room was spelled, no doubt, so we couldn't summon a portal, and the door was bolted shut with over a dozen protection spells. I couldn't lift it even if I tried. Besides, the last time I tried to lift doors, I almost killed myself. Not to mention I was exhausted afterwards—

"Wait a second," I said, which was pointless, since we obviously weren't going anywhere. "I was super tired before we got here, and now I feel better. A little _too_ good, like when we first found the Book. Is it just me, or is that unusual?"

"It's the Book," explained Zia, who was seated on the sandy floor. She had been running her finger through the sand, making almost perfect circles. "It's so powerful that it must heal everyone in a certain radius. That's why we could sense its power, even when we were so far away. When Sadie went through the portal with the Book, you instantly felt tired, right Carter? That's because the source of the power that was healing you, the Book of Ra, was gone. When we met up with Sadie again, you felt better. Get it?"

"I guess," I replied, squinting so I could see Sadie. "But speaking of the Book…where is it exactly?"

Zia's eyes widened as we both stared at my sister.

Sadie looked up, not really paying attention.

"Huh? Oh, the Book? I'm reading it," she responded, pointing to a small, hand-held book in her hand. "I shrunk it the moment I saw our buddies in the marketplace. Luckily, they didn't notice. They were too busy picking up all the fruit from the stand that I accidently hit when I fell."

She smiled at the memory, and then went back to reading the Book.

I sighed. "Quick thinking on your part," I commented, partly because it was true, and partly because I still felt bad for yelling at her back in the tunnel.

Sadie glanced up from the Book. "Thanks," she said simply, but I saw her smiling a little.

"So, what's the plan?" Zia asked, still drawing in the sand.

I sighed. "Uh…I was sorta hoping you had one."

Zia smiled, but it faded quickly. She looked away went back to drawing.

"Hey, you alright?" I asked, although the answer was pretty obvious. "Listen, about those magicians back there—"

"Carter," Zia said firmly, not looking up from the floor. "Don't."

"But—"

"Listen! I just don't wanna talk about it, okay?" she snapped, looking up at me with a pained expression.

Taken aback, I sat down next to her but said nothing. She was obviously shaken up, so I guess I couldn't blame her.

"Listen," Zia whispered, sounding a lot gentler than before. "I'm sorry about that. It's just…"

"I understand," I said truthfully, looking her straight in the eye.

Zia looked like she wanted to say more, but in the end, she didn't. We just sat together for a while, and I was completely aware that our shoulders were touching.

I had a flashback of Zia and I in the RV, headed toward Phoenix, when Zia and I sat close to each other. Then again, that wasn't the real Zia, but a shabti. Well, it definitely _felt_ real back then. But this was the _real thing._ This really was Zia, and I had actually _found_ her. Sure, we were trapped in a claustrophobic broom closet with my sister, probably with no hope of escaping, but still. It felt surprisingly good. In fact, for a while there, I almost forgot that I was trapped while the world was about to end. _Almost._

After about an hour of listening to Sadie flip page after page of the Book, I decided to break the silence.

"So, Sadie, anything in Ra's book that could get us out of here?"

Sadie, of course, didn't hear me. It was like she was in a different world when she read that thing; millions of miles away. I called her name three more times, but it took me waving my hand in front of her face to get her attention.

"Whaaa?" Sadie asked, sounding a little dazed.

"The Book," I repeated. "Find anything that could spring us out of this closet?"

"Oh," she said, sounding confused. This was extremely odd, since Sadie rarely says a sentence that is less than a dozen words long. It just wasn't normal. Like, going against the laws of the universe or something.

I expected her to go back into her own little trance, or at least say she didn't find anything, but to my surprise, she replied, "Uh, yes. Actually, I think the spell a couple of pages back would do the trick."

I was stunned. "Let me get this straight: you found a spell that could get us out of here, and you didn't _say _anything about it?"

"I forgot," Sadie said simply.

"Forgot," I repeated, sounding doubtful. "What, you forgot we were stuck underground in a living closet?"

"Yes. No," Sadie said, her voice rising. "I don't know!"

"What does it matter?" Zia argued before I could comment. "You found a spell. Great. Now let's perform it and get out of here."

Zia was right, as usual, so I decided to drop the subject. For now.

"Right," Sadie said, shooting me a glare. "Uh, it's a little complicated, but I can try."

"Okay then," Zia agreed, her eyes looking troubled as she glanced around at the rocky walls, Sadie, and finally, the Book. "Let's do this. The sooner we get out of here, the better."

*::*::*

It took two explosions, one live broom, three purple bruises, and six scorched eyebrows before Sadie got the spell right. I couldn't understand a word she said, but Zia was nodding enthusiastically and not yelling for me to duck, so I assumed she got it right. About ten seconds after she finished muttering the spell, I started to doubt the entire thing.

"Uh, was something supposed to happen? Besides the broom coming to life that is. Oh, and the bucket hitting me on the head."

"That was an accident," Sadie muttered, but she was acting uncharacteristically distracted. "It should have worked. We should have—"

She was interrupted by deafening sound outside the door that nearly made me jump out of skin. The noise was followed by a dozen or so angry voices, fighting over something. I could tell by the annoyed edge to their gruff voices.

Sadie, with a determined expression, stood up and faced us. For the one hundredth time, I realized how small the room was. With all of us standing up, we had practically no space to move around, and it took all my will power not to dwell on the fact that Zia was this close to me. I could feel her breath on my neck, and it was sending major shivers down my spine.

"We're gonna have to wait until they let us out," Sadie informed us. If she was bothered by the limited space, she didn't let on. "I'm going to be whispering it, so you guys are going to have to create some sort of a diversion. Don't stop talking. If they hear me, we're toast. I think by now I have it memorized."

She glanced at Zia before continuing. I followed her gaze and realized that Zia was staring at me. Her expression was unreadable, as usual, and I suddenly wished I could read minds. I felt my face redden and looked back at Sadie, whose expression, unfortunately, _was_ readable.

For a second, she smirked, and I instantly felt embarrassed. If you're ever in a place with dimmed lighting (and not just in a broom closet) and you rely on the darkness to hide your expression or whatever, then you're out of luck. It obviously doesn't work. I say this from experience.

There was another loud bang, and Sadie's expression darkened, which made her look almost sinister with the dark shadows flying across her face like hurried ghosts. The fiery ball of light glowed with an eerie blue color in the center of the room, which didn't make Sadie look any less evil. I shivered and focused on the Book instead. There's nothing more frightening than imagining your sister looking like Sadie did just then with an ax or something. I'd probably wake up in the middle of the night, screaming, for months.

"They're coming. Get ready. I'll say the last line aloud, and that will be the signal," she said darkly. "Grab hold of me or you'll be left behind."

"That was little melodramatic," I commented, trying to brighten the mood. It didn't work. The hulks burst into the room at that very moment, pushing us forcefully into the rocky wall behind us.

"Did you ever hear of knocking?" I muttered, trying not to breathe, because quite frankly, the magician's breath smelled strongly of garlic. _Ugh._

"If you know what's good for you, Kane, you'll shut it," he growled, his face inches from mine. "You won't be showing humor in a few minutes. Your time is up."

"Oh, really?" I said, trying not to choke on the foul air. "I don't remember having an hour glass with my name on it."

"Not just yours," the hulk gripping Sadie's shoulders stated. "The blonde's too. And, of course, the traitor," he concluded, grinning devilishly at Zia.

"Oops, looks like I didn't catch the memo," Sadie spat, glowering at the magician. "Now is Dessie going to see us or are we just gonna stay here in the broom closet and chat? I hope it isn't the latter, because you guys are terrible company; offense intended."

The three magicians looked like they were gonna argue, but in the end, they just grabbed us by the shoulders and led us back to the Hall of Ages, with Sadie cursing them the entire way.

Every ten seconds or so, I'd hear, "Ow! That was my _hair!_" or "How _rude._ Were you absent the day your kindergarten teacher taught you to keep your hands to _yourself?_"

Well, this wasn't going as planned. "Sadie," I said, loud enough for her to hear. "Be quiet. You wouldn't want them to _spell _you or something." Translation: Shut your face and start the spell already!

Luckily, Sadie got the message. "Fine," she huffed. "But don't think you've heard the end of this." Then she put her head down, and if I didn't know any better, I would have thought she was crying. Only I _did_ know better. If you looked real closely, you could see her lips moving, reciting a silent spell. Finally, we arrived at the huge double doors.

"Here goes nothing," I whispered as Desjardins came into view. Sadie kept her head down as we approached. The problem? Since Sadie, the girl who was insulting him only hours before; was now strangely silent seemed to catch Desjardins' attention. He studied her suspiciously, but before he could comment, I said, "We've made our decision, Chief Lector."

He seemed to like being called "Chief Lector," because he tore his gaze away from Sadie and settled it on me. I could see a flicker of pride in his dark eyes. "Is that a fact?" he asked, looking from Zia and me with interest.

"Yes. We've decided that you're right," I continued, hating myself more and more with each word. "We do need an army if we expect to stop the serpent. And since we obviously don't stand a chance against you, what chance would we have against the embodiment of chaos?"

"Exactly," Desjardins said, looking at me with pleasure. "I'm glad you finally came to your senses. And what about the traitor? What has she to say?"

I bit my lip to prevent me from saying, "Her _name_ is Zia," and barely succeeded. As much as I wanted to say it, it would only cause suspicion.

_Sadie _better_ hurry up…_

"I agree with Kane, here," Zia said coolly. "I was wrong to go on their side. It was the shabti making the decisions, not me. I had no control over it. If it was truly me, I never would have gone. Their entire operation is a failure, and in my absence, the First Nome has flourished. Iskandar would have been proud, Desjardins. Even he couldn't produce an army such as yours."

Okay, okay, I know she was supposed to be lying, but that didn't stop me from flinching after Zia finished. If all that was a fib, then she was seriously a born liar. Could Zia have really meant all those things she said? I mean, sure, we were still trapped in the First Nome and missing half of the Book of Ra, but still, we weren't doing too badly…right?

"Uh…yeah," I said, not looking at Zia. "It didn't take long for us to recognize that we were wrong, including my parents. We could have led normal lives if it wasn't for them and the gods."

Again, I hated myself for saying it. And the worst part was that I actually meant a little of what I said. I could have had a normal life if the gods weren't real. If they didn't exist, then neither would the magicians. I could have gone to school, made friends, and lived with both of my parents back in California. Mom and Dad never would have died, and Sadie and I could have grown up together like a normal brother and sister would. Everything would have been like it was before I knew Egyptian mythology was real. Nothing would have changed.

Still, if the gods and magicians never existed, I never would have met Bast, or Horus, or Anubis (the last person was for Sadie's sake, not mine.) I never would have flown through the sky like a falcon or traveled the world with my dad. I wouldn't have gotten closer to Sadie or learned how to use my powers. I never would have met Zia.

Huh, maybe being a magician did have more benefits than disadvantages.

Just then, Sadie yelled something in Egyptian. Everyone in the room were too shocked to move, so they just stopped and stared at her. I'm proud to say it only took a split second for me to recognize the signal and grab hold of Zia and Sadie's arms.

"Get them—" Desjardins began, raising his staff just as an invisible force pulled us upward.

"See ya!" I managed to yell, waving at the magicians below.

Then three things happened at once. Desjardins shot a stream of green light our way, Sadie screamed, and the three of us crashed head on into the marble ceiling above.

*::*::*

**Uh oh, that didn't sound good. Well, you'll find out what happened soon enough! :) **

**Oh my gods, the Throne of Fire comes out in FIFTEEN DAYS! I am nearly dying of excitement. And OMG, I'm going to Rick Riordan's BOOK SIGNING! AHH! *insert girly scream here* I can't **_**believe it!**_** I just found out yesterday and called all my KC obsessed friends to tell them. Psh, who cares if it'll take hours to get there? **_**Yeah**_**…I forgot about that…oh well! ;)**

**I think I'll probably pass out when he signs my books (I'm planning to bring my entire family so I can give them each one of my PJO and KC books. That way, I can get them all signed! Don't tell anyone…;)**

**Oh my GODS. It's like a dream come true, people. If any of you guys are going, maybe I'll see you there! (I'll be the girl in the Camp Half Blood T-shirt who passes out) :D**

**Review Please guys and I'll try to update really soon!**

**Love,**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	18. Chapter 18

**Yaay! Another long chapter! I'm pretty proud of myself…**

**I just remembered that I was supposed to announce the winners of the Character Question in the last chapter. Oops. Well, here are their names:**

**ILuvZarter****(aka Animal Charmer 11), Brianna, Teton97, and Melbel10. To see what part of their entries I'm using, check out my profile under "Book of Ra Newz." Thanks for entering everyone! You'll see these new characters in one of the later chapters, so stay tuned! Anyway, on with the chapter!**

**Zarter alert!****Prepare yourselves. ;)**

C

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Who knew that Ra's spell would actually transport _and_ allow us to go through ceilings without being harmed? Now _that's_ what I call a spell.

One second there was a deadly beam shooting in our direction and a marble ceiling coming towards us. The next I'm sitting on a sand dune in the middle of nowhere.

"Huh, maybe this spell wasn't as great as I thought," I muttered, brushing the sand off my dirty jeans.

"Hey, it got us out, didn't it?"asked Sadie, who had landed on her feet and was squinting at the sun. "I never doubted it for a second."

"Sure," I laughed. "So that scream you made was because…?"

Sadie glared at me. "Maybe I was a little worried for a moment there, but at least I saved us. We would have been—what word did Dessie use? Oh, right, _terminated._ We would have been _terminated_if it wasn't for me. So there—"

I raised my hands in defeat. "Alright, alright. You win. Thank you very, _very_for saving our sorry lives. Now please shut up so I can make breakfast…or dinner," I added, looking over at the sunset to my right. By the looks of it, it must have been around six o'clock, since the days were now getting shorter and shorter (sorta like our time to save the planet, but I wasn't going to be the one to bring up _that_cheery information.)

After laying down a small picnic blanket I brought from the 21st Nome, I took out the remaining Fruit Loops, which I hoped hadn't gone stale, since I accidently left the box open all night long. However, no one complained, so I guess I was off the hook. Sadie did make a face when she bit into one though, so, desperate for an excuse, I told her the first thing that popped into my head: "You, uh, must be coming down with something."

Lame, I know. But the surprising part? Sadie _believed_ me. Yup, she shut up and finished her Fruit Loops. Now, I know Sadie better than anyone, so believe me when I say this was extremely out of the ordinary. I couldn't even convince Sadie that the chili I made was edible; she always sees right through me and throws it out before I can argue (which is probably why we order out for dinner so often.)

Then why didn't she point out that they were stale or yell at me about it? That's what the normal Sadie would have done. Okay, okay, so maybe I am getting worked up over nothing (actually, I'm getting worked up over Fruit Loops, but that's not the point.) The _point_ is that Sadie's acting un-Sadie-like, and I was gonna figure out why. Somehow…

"Carter? Earth to Carter. Come in, Carter," Zia whispered, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Wh-what?" I stammered, looking up from Toucan Sam (apparently I had been staring at it the entire time…well, that's embarrassing.) Zia pointed to my sister, who was sound asleep on her sleeping bag and snoring quietly. I hadn't even noticed her doze off. Then again, I didn't realize I was staring at a Kellogg's cereal character for the past hour either.

"Ah," I began, looking back at Zia. "How long has she been out?"

"A while," Zia said simply.

"A while," I repeated, stalling for time. Hey, I never actually had experience around girls, except Sadie, but I wouldn't consider her as anything but my sister. Talking to her is easy, since we're usually mocking or yelling at each other. Zia's…different. I'm still not exactly sure how I think of her, and even if I did, I'd never actually be able to _tell_ her. And then there's what she said back in the Hall of Ages—

"Zoned out again, have you?" Zia asked me, standing up and searching the horizon with those amber eyes.

I laughed quietly in spite of myself. "Yeah, that seems to be happening to all of us lately."

I locked eyes with Zia, who was now a few feet away and looking at me expectantly. I nodded at her silent question, stood up, and followed her.

We walked in silence for a minute or so. Finally, when we were out of hearing distance, Zia sat down on the sand. I sat down beside her.

"You mean Sadie," she said. It wasn't a question. Her eyes had become troubled, and I couldn't blame her.

"Yeah, that's exactly who I mean," I replied, looking up at the darkened sky. "I'm guessing you have no idea what's wrong with her, right?"

Zia sighed. "I wouldn't exactly say 'nothing.'"

I breathed a sigh of relief. "So you _do_ know something." Again, it wasn't a question.

"A hunch," Zia replied. "It's obviously tied to the Book, since she was acting normal up until the moment we discovered it. That means that the Book is affecting her somehow, mentally. Almost as if…" She trailed off with a quizzical expression on her face.

"Like what?" I asked eagerly.

"…As if it was making her want to read more, like it's drawing her in or something, and then taking something from her in return."

"Uh…like hypnotism?" I asked, feeling totally confused.

"Sort of. There's a reason the Book was locked up for centuries, Carter. Egyptians feared it, not because of Ra's wrath, but for its power," Zia explained. "Those are powerful spells, even for the gods. You saw how simply being in its _presence_ affects you. How do you think it affects Sadie, who's actually reading and deciphering it? I think she's drawn to it, and in return, it's using her power."

My eyes widened. "So it's_killing_ her?"

"No. No, I… I don't that's the problem. I just think that she should be more careful. I mean, we don't have any other choice; we have to use the Book in defeating the serpent, and we need to find those missing pages, but still…she just has to be a little more cautious. She may be slowly losing her power. The Book is somewhat of a parasite, Carter. That's why it was hidden so deep underground. It feeds off the power around it and uses that to make it more powerful."

That definietly didn't sound good. "That is one _freaky_ book," I noted, looking at Zia's grim expression.

"I'm thinking we should tell her after she wakes up," she concluded, looking even more troubled than before.

"Yeah, sure. So we'll go up to her and say, 'Hey, Sadie, we think the Book is frying your brain and draining your power, but can you keep reading it until the world is saved in eight days? Thanks!' Something tells me it won't go over too well with her."

Zia gave a small smile. "Perhaps, but we don't have any better ideas, now do we?"

I sighed. She was right, as usual. Besides, I was worried about Sadie. If this thing was drawing her or whatever, then tough; I was not losing her to some ancient exile's stupid spell book. She was going to stay away from it for as long as possible. Surprisingly enough, I actually missed Sadie's annoying comments and witty comebacks, not that I'd ever admit it.

I looked back at Zia, who had also been surveying the horizon. For those of you who haven't been to the desert, it gets pretty cold at night, despite its torrid daytime temperatures. For a few hours, it's like you're in an oven. For the other few, it's like you're trapped in a freezer with the chocolate chip ice cream.

"Cold?" I asked, trying not to dwell on how cliché it sounded. I mean, don't all guys in the movies offer the shivering girl her coat? Yes. Would I have done the same? You betcha, if I actually _had_ a coat. This is just another reason why Carter Kane is not meant for romance: he's never prepared.

"A little," Zia replied. "But I'm fine."

"You sure?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Zia mimicked my expression. "What, you have a jacket up one of those sleeves, Kane?"

Busted. I didn't have a coat, as I already pointed out; all I had was my dirty black T-shirt and jeans. I felt sorry for Zia, but I wasn't _that_ desperate. Besides, I was pretty cold myself. Then it occurred to me that I didn't _need_ a jacket. There were other ways to get warm when you have the magic touch, literally.

I closed my eyes and thought, _fire._ Maybe the gods were taking pity on me, because suddenly, a small ball of fire erupted from my right hand and levitated there. Grinning, I willed it to grow larger and larger until it was roughly the size of a football. Even from a few feet away, you could feel the warmth that was radiating off that thing.

I titled my chin up in Zia's direction, feigning pride. "How's _that_ for warmth? Now all we need are the marshmallows."

Zia laughed. "Are you going to summon those to?" Our stomachs grumbled. Hey, we had to ration our food. Gods know how long it'll be until we get our next meal, and Fruit Loops weren't exactly what you'd call _filling._

I groaned, thinking of melted chocolate with the fluffy marshmallows my parents, Sadie, and I used to eat on the beach when I was little. We never had granola crackers, because Sadie hated them (weird, I know, but that's Sadie for you.) Instead, we left the Hershey's chocolate bars by the fire as we roasted marshmallows. Then we'd pick up the bar and place the marshmallow on top. The rest of the night we'd spend licking the gooey chocolate off our fingers.

"I wish," I murmured, practically tasting the chocolate on my tongue. "You wouldn't have a spell for making instant Hershey bars, would you?"

"Alas, no." Zia smiled and looked into the fiery ball of light. Then she laughed, pointed to the fire sphere, and said, "Being a master of fire, I should have thought of that." She face palmed herself and pretended to look ashamed. "I mean, _you_ thinking of that first? How did _that_ happen?"

"Uh, because I'm smarter than you?" I offered, cocking my head to the side.

Zia scoffed. "You wish, Kane. I could beat you in a duel any day."

"Could not."

"Could too."

"Not."

"Too."

"Fine, let's see for ourselves," I suggested confidently. "Once this all blows over, it's you and me; one on one."

Zia smiled, but I saw the doubt in her eyes. I knew exactly what she thinking; _if_everything blows over, _if_ we make it out of this, and _if_ the world even survives. Still, I wasn't going to worry about that just now. Not yet.

"I'll mark it on my calendar," she teased, leaning back into the sand. I did the same.

For a while, we just stared at the stars. My mom and dad had taught me the constellations; something I never forgot. I could spot Perseus, who my dad told me defeated the feared demon, Medusa. I could also see Phoenix, a bird that was said to live up to 500 years, and Orion, the great hunter. Of course, my mother would always tell me the science behind the stars; big, stationary balls of gases that have been forming ever since the universe began. I found myself pointing them out to Zia and telling her the origin of their names. I had gotten to Pegasus when I realized how long I'd been talking and how long she'd been listening.

"Uh, sorry," I said, running my fingers through my black hair nervously."It's just that my parents taught Sadie and I about the stars. I guess it's been awhile since I actually…watched them with anyone." Which was true: I hadn't.

I stole a quick glance at Zia, who was watching me closely. Her amber eyes looked even larger in the dark.

"I've never learned about the constellations before. Actually, I never really paid attention. Everything was just train, train, train back ho—back at the Nome." She closed her eyes for a while, and for a second there, I thought she'd fallen asleep. But then she opened them and stared back at the sky. "They really are beautiful."

But I hardly heard her. I could actually see the image of the stars in her eyes, and with her hair blowing in the wind and the moon shining on her like that…I don't know. I was mesmerized. I don't remember seeing anything as beautiful in my entire life.

"Yeah. Beautiful," I managed, not taking my eyes off her.

She looked back at me, and I prayed to every god I could think of that my face didn't give anything away. Finally, she grinned and moved closer to me, as close as we were in the living closest, only this time, she didn't _have_ to. I tried not to dwell on that but failed, as usual.

"You know, after this 'one on one' duel that you'll _obviously_ lose, you'll have to take the winner," she said, pointing to herself smugly, "to that mall of yours. Or have you forgotten?" It was a simple question, but it was the way she said it that made me curious. The way she said it, you'd think she actually cared. Almost as if my answer really mattered to her.

"Nope. I haven't," I replied, and seeing her relieved expression gave me the courage to go on. "And if I win, you'll have to buy me a hamburger. I haven't had a good one in _ages_. Personally, I think that's fair, since you'll have absolutely no idea where you're going without me."

"I can take care of myself!" Zia protested.

"Well, I don't doubt that," I replied honestly. "But malls can be deadly. Have you ever been inside one when there was, like, the 'biggest sale of the year' at Macy's? A guy can get trampled in there."

Zia laughed. "You shop at Macy's?"

"No!" I exclaimed, then glared at her as she burst out laughing. "I only meant that I was there, as in the _same building._ Actually, I think I was having ice cream with my dad," I smiled at the memory. I could still remember the flavor; cookie dough ice cream with rainbow jimmies. I must have been ten, maybe eleven. I only remembered it because one woman practically sprinted into the store once they opened and started fighting with another over some still-overly-expensive boots. It was probably one of the scariest things I've ever seen. Guys may have fist fights and all, but girl fights are brutal. They are anything but fair. My dad dragged me out of there before the security came and broke it up.

"Sure, Carter, sure," Zia mocked. "Not that you'll ever get that free hamburger, but just out of curiosity—what is it?"

I stared at her. "A hamburger? Are you _kidding_ me?"

Zia stared back at me, totally serious. "Do I_look_ like I'm kidding? We weren't allowed to have meat at the First Nome."

Still in shock, I asked, "What, was Iskandar a vegetarian or something?"

Zia rolled her eyes. "Just answer the question, Carter."

"Alright," I said, taking my wand out of my pocket. "So this is a hamburger." I drew two imperfect ovals to represent the buns and thin lines between them, which were supposed to be the ketchup, beef, lettuce, etc. Zia stared at me like I had gone insane.

"You call _that_ a hamburger? It looks more like a mushroom," she accused, using her finger to draw an X through my drawing. "An extremely _deformed_ mushroom."

"Hey! I'm no van Gogh, okay? Give me a break," I argued, covering her X and the rest of the drawing with more sand. "And besides, I thought you didn't know what a hamburger was!"

Zia cracked a smile. "I may not know what's _in_ it, Carter, but I don't live under a rock. I've _seen_ what they look like." I was about to point out that she _did_ in fact like under a rock, tons of it, while she was in that sarcophagus, but decided against it.

"Maybe it would be better if you just _tell_ me what's in it," she concluded, still grinning.

"Well, there's these two buns, and inside them, there's this juicy beef topped with anything you want. Mostly ketchup and onions and lettuce. My dad used to put French fries in his and drench them in cheese." I smiled at Zia's horrified expression. "They were good!" I protested.

"Ugh," Zia said. "Then it'll just be you ordering that burger, Carter. I'll be seated on the opposite side of the room, eating a _salad._"

"Suit yourself," I warned, trying not to think of any more food. "Then what'll we do?"

Zia pondered on that for a moment. "Well, what is there to do?"

"Well, they have, like, a gazillion overpriced shops," I explained, "but they're all the same: boring. I only went for the bookshop, as nerdy as that sounds."

Zia chuckled. "That doesn't sound too boring."

"Nah, it was. My dad was usually off in the Egyptian section or buying some electronics. There wasn't much to do besides read on those uncomfortable chairs in the café or listen to jazz music."

"Well, you won't be going alone next time," Zia pointed out.

I smiled at the thought, but it faded as quickly as it came. Sighing quietly, I looked back at the millions of stars. It was ridiculous, really, thinking that I'd ever actually be with Zia, doing something as normal as eating in the food court or going to a book store. With the world about to end, it was hard to think of anything being normal again. But imaging being with Zia, even in a horrible place like the mall, was enough to keep me hoping.

"True," I replied, looking back at her. Hopefully she couldn't see the sorrow in my eyes.

"What next?" she asked, leaning over to me with interest.

"Uh…the movies," I said, trying not to dwell on how close she was and remember the last time I'd been to one. I couldn't.

My dad never liked being in dark, open spaces with a ton of strangers. Now I knew why. For all you know, you could be sitting next to your arch enemy, or be surrounded while you pigged out on salty popcorn and candy.

"What'll we do there?" Zia questioned, looking truly puzzled.

"Besides watching a movie? Well, there's extremely salty, buttery popcorn and about a dozen or so soft drinks to choose from. Oh, and lots and lots of candy," I said a bit dreamily, thinking of all that food.

"Sounds like an unhealthy heaven," Zia observed.

"Why do you think I love it?"

She rolled her eyes, trying not to smile. "And then?"

"Well, after I buy you the biggest, unhealthiest combo there is, we'll go into the theater, find seats, and watch the movie."

"Will we be sharing popcorn?" Zia asked, only half joking.

"If you want to."

"Fine. Then get the biggest popcorn you can, with tons of butter," she said, motioning with her hands to emphasize the size of the bag of popcorn.

I laughed. "Alright. Then one jumbo popcorn bag it is."

Zia closed her eyes, as if trying to imagine it. "What's the movie about?"

"Something full of action. Like exploding cars and stuff, with tons of bloodthirsty aliens and guys with machine guns," I explained, not that I'd actually seen a real action movie. In fact, I don't think I ever went to the movies with my dad, so the last time I must have gone was when I was eight; eating gummy stars and watching movies rated G.

Zia raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, okay, fine. Maybe only a few small aliens and single-shot pistols," I reasoned. "And then…"

"Yes?"

I thought for a moment. "Then, right as the murderer is about to hit the other guy with a bloody shovel—"

"Is this rated R?" interrupted Zia.

"—I'll kiss you," I blurted, looking her right in the eye.

There, I said it. I didn't mean to, but it just sorta…came out.

Zia's expression went from joking to complete shock in a matter of seconds. "Is that so?" she murmured.

I obviously couldn't go back now, so I timidly replied, "Uh, yeah."

"Well...then, it will be a day of many firsts, won't it?" Zia asked, not looking at me.

"I guess it will."

Slowly, she turned back to me with a smile on her face. "Of course, it doesn't have to be," she whispered into my ear.

"Oh yeah?" I questioned, trying to keep my cool. "Do you see any malls or movie theaters around here?"

Zia's amber eyes glistened. "That's not what I meant."

Then she moved closer to me, and it took less than a second to realize what she meant.

_Oh, gods._

I gulped, trying to remember how to breathe. I didn't even know _how_ to kiss. I mean, let's face it, every single movie and story that have people kissing for the first time don't exactly tell you how they do it. They just…do. Not very helpful, if you ask me.

Zia was close enough for me to feel her breath on my neck. Major shivers went down my spine, and it was definitely not from the cold. Finally, gathering all the courage I could muster, I leaned closer to Zia…

…just as Sadie yelled our names.

Zia shut her eyes. Reluctantly, I glanced over my shoulder and saw Sadie, her blond hair billowing in the wind, searching behind nearby sand dunes and calling frantically for us. Sighing, I looked back at Zia, whose expression hadn't changed.

"It's…um…Sadie," I whispered dumbly.

"You don't say," Zia replied, her face unreadable and her eyes still closed.

"We…uh…better go see what's up."

"We should," she murmured, opening her eyes.

I could have laid there forever. What would have happened if Sadie hadn't interrupted us? I would have kissed Zia, that's what. Gods, _sisters_. Then again, I didn't have forever. I had nine—eight—days now to find the missing pages of the Book, Ra, and get the gods and magicians to work together…

I offered my hand to Zia, who accepted it with a smile. Somehow, the fact that her hand was in mine drained my frustration and exhaustion from me in seconds. I even found myself smiling like an idiot as we walked back to Sadie, who, to be frank, was freaking out.

A few yards away, I reluctantly let go of Zia's hand and ran to my sister. The exhaustion and anger returned, but at the moment, I didn't care.

If Sadie noticed Zia and I holding hands, she didn't let on. In fact, she didn't even ask where we had been. Instead, she led Zia and I back to the blanket and pointed to the Book of Ra, which was open to the last page. Seeing the Book near Sadie instantly made me nervous.

"The page! Look in the Book!" Sadie was saying, waving her hands hysterically as if she had won the lottery. "It's there! See! I _knew_ it!"

"Sadie, what's there?" I asked wearily, sitting down next to Zia, who was observing the Book. "It hasn't changed since we left it."

"No, no. Look." Sadie took out her wand and muttered something I couldn't hear. "Ra writes about this spell in the third chapter," she explained as her wand began to glow a sickly green color. "Watch."

Then she placed her wand near the papyrus, and instantly white, glowing hieroglyphics appeared between the lines.

"What in the name of Ra…" I began.

"It's like invisible ink," Zia whispered in awe. "And can only be activated with the light from the spell."

"Exactly," Sadie stated, beaming with pride. "It's only on this page; I checked."

"What does it say?" I asked, running my finger across the words. "Don't tell me it's a…"

Sadie grinned. "Yup. It's a clue. A clue to find the missing pages. And if my translation is correct, there are three parts to the Book of Ra. We have the first. There are only two portions left."

"Well," I said, sighing with relief. "That isn't too bad. All we have to do is find the final parts, recite it, and presto; serpent defeated."

Sadie's expression changed, and it wasn't reassuring. "Um…it might not be that simple. It says here that reciting the spell isn't enough. We need power, a lot of it, to make it work. More powerful than all the gods combined. And that means—"

"—that the gods and magicians have to work together," I finished. "Well, so much for avoiding that problem. Now we definitely have to get them to help each other, and we already know we can't do that on our own. So we have to—"

"—find Ra," Zia concluded. "And the final two parts of the Book, all by the next new moon, according to Carter."

"No pressure," Sadie muttered, fingering the blue streak of hair that kept blowing in her face.

"Well, what exactly does the Book _say?_" I asked as Sadie relit her wand. "I thought you said there was a clue."

"There is," Sadie said, moving her wand over the bottom of the page. "It says, _'Go to the home of the army that formed__Aegyptus. There you will find the knowledge you seek.'_Aeg-whaaaat? Is that some kind of a disease?"

"_Aegyptus,"_I clarified. "It was the Roman providence of Egypt, established after Octavian led the Romans to Egypt and conquered the place. Cleopatra killed herself, and with her went the last line of pharaohs. It also marked the beginning of the Roman rule. The language was lost, as well as the religion."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. But what does this have to do with the actual Book?" Sadie moaned, not at all interested in the history of Egypt. "I mean, what does all this mean?"

"It means," Zia said, her eyes sparkling, "that the second part of the Book is hidden in the Third Nome. Pack your bags, we're traveling to Rome."

*::*::*

**Road trip! Okay, maybe not a **_**road **_**trip. More like a Duat trip…**

**Anyway, I'm gonna update super soon, so stay tuned! Thanks again for everyone that participated in the Character Question! I look forward to writing with these new characters! Review please, guys. I really appreciate it!**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hi guys! OHMIGODS THE THRONE OF FIRE IS ON MY DESK RIGHT NOW! I got it right after school on Tuesday and even got a free keychain :D Yes…I get excited over things like that. It is now on a handmade necklace I wore to Rick Riordan's book signing, which, to be frank, was the most embarrassing **_**and**_** amazing day of my life! Thanks for signing my books, Mr. Riordan! :D**

**Sorry I couldn't update this week. Apparently I had more work to do than I realized, so I had to stay up late each night this week (I'm one of those "last minute" people.) So yeah. I am so happy today (despite my cold) because I was just informed by one of my faithful reviewers and amazing fanfiction author, Animal Charmer 11 (aka ILuvZarter) that she's writing a fanfic based on THIS story, all in Zia's POV! I am extremely flattered by this. :) So, for all you people who PM me about Zia chapters, well, here you go! :D I wasn't even expecting this! Good luck Animal Charmer, and I can't wait to read your next chapter! **

**Anyway, I better get to my chapter (as you can see, I get off topic really easily…like right now…) On with the story!**

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For those of you who haven't been to Rome, I suggest you go. Even while I was stressing out about saving the world and running for my life, I had a pretty good time.

Now I'm getting ahead of myself, but still, Rome _was_ pretty great. Just take my word for it and stay away from the Third Nome. You'll figure out why shortly.

Anyway, after Sadie found the clue in the Book of Ra, she summoned a portal and transported us to Italy. The only problem was that we fell directly into the Trevi Fountain, which is basically a _very_ big and _very_ famous fountain in Rome.

"Sadie!" I shouted as I waded in the crystal clear water around me. "What on _Earth_ were you _thinking?_"

"Sorry!" Sadie yelled back, holding the Book over her head so it wouldn't get wet (can books written by the sun god even _get_ wet?) "It's the only tourist attraction in Rome I could think of!"

I rolled my eyes and walked towards the edge. Tourists left me room, probably because they didn't want to get wet themselves, while a dozen or so snapped pictures. Great, I was going to be humiliated in family scrapbooks for years to come _all_ because of my idiot sister.

After I pulled Zia and Sadie out and received quite a few glares from the natives there, I threw a coin into the fountain. When I looked back at the girls, they were both staring at me quizzically.

"It's a tradition," I explained. "I read about it somewhere. Whoever throws a coin over their left shoulder into the fountain will someday return to Rome."

I was about to explain the affect the tradition had on the community, but stopped myself. Zia and Sadie did _not_ look too impressed. My sister popped a bubble of her bubble gum and Zia seemed interested in watching a fly as it buzzed through the air towards a nearby fruit stand.

"Somebody doesn't like Italian culture. Well then…moving on," I muttered, and we started to navigate the crowded streets of Italy.

After dodging a few motor scooters and getting lost a couple of times, we found ourselves a street side café to dry off, which was fine with me, since that statue of Neptune on the fountain was seriously freaking me out. Its eyes seemed to follow us as we walked away; sending major shivers down my spine. Of course, statues aren't alive, but still, I've seen a lot weirder stuff in my one year as a magician, so I wouldn't be surprised if it stood up and started tap dancing or something.

It turns out that when you want to buy things in Italy, you need to have Italian money, which unfortunately, none of us had. I looked hopefully at Zia, thinking that she might know how to summon some dinero from the air, but she only shrugged. Well, I guess even magic has its limits.

Luckily, Zia _could_ use her magical skills to convince the waiter that we had already paid, so I guess it didn't matter whether we had money or not. I did feel kind of guilty though, since the waiter was just ripped off by some foreigners who were stuffing their faces with free cannoli, but hey, desperate times call for desperate measures.

"So, what's the plan again?" asked Sadie with a mouth covered in sauce. "Something about the Third Nome—ooh look! They have garlic bread!"

I sighed as I poked my meal with my fork. "We're going to the Third Nome to find the second part of the Book of Ra, Sadie. _Remember_?"

Sadie glanced up from her plate and gave me a look that clearly meant, _No_ duh."Of _course _I remember. What I meant was how are going to find this Nome and…" Once again, my sister took another forkful of her homemade pasta, engrossed in her dish.

"Gosh, do Italians know how to _live_," she moaned, savoring the last bite. "I could eat this stuff _every bloody day._"

Leave it to Sadie to get distracted with food right before the world's about to end. I glanced at Zia, who had been quiet ever since we fell into the fountain. She was forming fiery hieroglyphics from the small candle in the middle of the table with her finger. If any of the dinner guests found that odd, they didn't let on. The symbols floated about a foot in the air and then disappeared.

"Zia, where exactly is this place?" I asked, bringing her out of her thoughts.

Zia looked up from the candle. Then she pointed down the street and said, "Oh, the Nome? It's right there."

"_What?_" Sadie and I cried in unison. Normally I would have laughed when my sister nearly choked on her cannoli, but it's sort of difficult to be jolly when there's a building full of your archenemies at the end of the block.

"And you didn't tell us this _because_…?" Sadie left the questioning hanging and eyed Zia suspiciously. It didn't take a genius to know that Sadie was having second thoughts about trusting Zia, but Zia looked unfazed by Sadie's accusation. Instead, she shrugged and answered, "Well, _Sadie_ was stuffing her face with starchy food and Carter was trying to read the menu aloud in Italian—if that gibberish even deserves to be _called_ Italian—and we won't be able to enter until midnight _anyway,s_o I let you all relax. You know, since it'll probably be the last time you do."

Zia averted her eyes to the window, surveying the empty street. "Besides, there are spies everywhere. If they heard us talking about our plans, well, let's just say we'll have the entire magician force waiting for us on the other side of that wall," she concluded, pointing to the large wall surrounding the tenement at the end of the block.

Well, so much for having a peaceful, carefree meal. "Relaxation time over," I muttered, quickly summoning my bag from the Duat and slinging it over my shoulder.

"Then why are you making hieroglyphics from the flame?" Sadie questioned, still gazing at Zia apprehensively. "Aren't you concerned that some of the Roman blokes will see _those?"_

"It's an invisibility spell," Zia replied dismissively, still looking down the darkened street. Romans must not really enjoy the night life, because nearly everyone had cleared out of the café a half an hour ago and the roads were nearly deserted. With the fiery hieroglyphics and a compound full of enemies next door, I didn't exactly feel warm and cozy on _my_ Roman holiday.

"Oh, and I would have expected you to recognize those symbols, Sadie," Zia added, just to get on Sadie's nerves. My sister's eyes narrowed, but she looked at the fiery symbols anyway.

To my surprise, I actually recognized the hieroglyphics. One of them was shaped like a LEGO piece, another looked like a man praying, the third one was just a long squiggly line, and the last looked like a fan or maybe a tropical leaf. An unlikely combo, but together they represented _I'mun_: the hieroglyphic word for "hide."

When I said the word aloud, even Zia looked impressed. "Well, someone's been studying invisibility," she noted as Sadie rolled her eyes.

"Please," my sister moaned. "He only learned that spell because—"

"—because it's useful," I interrupted a little too quickly. "Thanks for that, Sadie, but I think I can speak for myself."

Zia shot a quick smile in my direction and went back to circling the rim of the candle with her finger, causing symbols to float from the orange flames. I would have kept watching her, but I felt Sadie's sharp gaze on me. When I looked up at her, she was wiggling her eyebrows. Then she pointed to me, made an O shape with her hand, and then pointed back to herself. The message, unfortunately, was clear: _You owe me._

I sighed and gave her a "_whatever" _look, but sadly, I actually _did_ owe her. I had been trying to master this particular spell of invisibility for ages, since it was the exact same one Zia used back at the First Nome that night I followed her. Worse of all? Sadie knew about it.

Why did I master that spell? Maybe it was just because I thought it could be helpful in the dark months ahead, but deep down I knew why I practiced every other night on my balcony. It was because it was all I had left of Zia—well, before I found her—and maybe, just _maybe_ I wanted to impress her. Besides, that night was really the only time Zia and I really got to talk alone, and it was probably one of my most favorite memories. Sadie knew there was a connection between the spell and Zia, which is why she gave me "the look;" her freaky, "I-know-exactly-what-you're-thinking" look. Gods, am I _that_ readable? If so, then that would mean Zia—man, I don't even want to think about it.

"_Carter!" _Zia shouted, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Huh?"

"It's time. I'm going to show you and Sadie a map of the Third Nome," she announced, summoning a 3D hologram of a floor plan—a map of the Roman Nome.

"There are protective wards everywhere, and we still have absolutely no idea where this second section may be, or if the magicians here are aware of it," Zia explained. "I'm assuming it will be hidden near a symbol of Ra, like a statue or a wall painting. I've only been here once, but I remember they had an old Ra statue at the end of one of the hallways. It could be somewhere in there, but no promises. And we can't afford to be wrong."

"Well," Sadie said in a sing-song voice. "Everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those—"

"Ugh!" I moaned, covering my ears before Sadie could sing anymore. "Spare us, please!"

"Fine," Sadie huffed. "But it_ is_ true. Odds are that it'll take us a few tries to find these bloody pages. I mean, look at the place! It's enormous!"

She did have a point; the place was pretty huge. The first floor alone was a labyrinth of corridors and empty rooms. Looking for a statue of Ra in there would be like trying to find your mythology book in Sadie's pigsty of a room. [Hey, don't give me that look! I know what your room looks like. Besides, I never did see that Egyptian mythology book again.]

"Most likely," Zia agreed, rubbing her chin thoughtfully as she examined the glowing hologram. "But the consequences would be too great. The Roman magicians are known for their advanced combat magic and brutal training program. Some of them are direct descendants of the Spartans. They have powerful magic in their blood and have been training since they were toddlers. So I suggest we do_ not_ listen to the moral of Sadie's song and don't mess up. Unless, of course, you want to be turned into a piece of metal and melted down to make weapons for mass destruction."

Sadie gulped, no longer interested in her canolli."Um, what are these oh-so-terrible consequences, exactly?"

Zia sighed. "Let me approach this at a different angle: do you value your life?"

"Uh, yeah."

"How about the lives of millions?"

"Um, sure," Sadie replied, not quite understanding what Zia was getting at.

"Then don't fail."

Her eyes widened as Zia's point dawned on her. "Okay. Not failing. As the wise Yoda once said, 'Do or Do not. There is no try. Only do."

I rolled my eyes as Zia ran her hand through the hologram, making it disappear in a shower of blue sparks. "Thank you, Sadie for those inspiring words of wisdom. Now can we please hear the rest of the plan so we can get going?" Mostly I just wanted to hear Zia talk again, since it gave her a reason to speak to me directly, but I was also starting to worry that the waiter would suddenly remember that we didn't pay him. Then we'd end up with a huge bill for all that expensive Italian meals Sadie inhaled in the past hour.

"Thank you, wonderful brother for hinting that I'm fat," Sadie muttered. "You're such a charmer. No wonder why Zia likes you—oh wait, that's right: she _doesn't._"

"I like Carter!" Zia protested, and just hearing her say it made my heart leap. Then she noticed Sadie's smirk and added, "Um…I mean…oh, never mind."

"Go on, Zia," Sadie coaxed, leaning over the table. "What _were_ you going to say? Sadie's all ears."

"I was going to say that I _agree_ with him and that we're wasting time," Zia snapped, not looking at either of us. "So, here's what we'll do…"

*::*::*

I had to admit, I liked this plan of Zia's a lot better than her last one that involved pushing me into a bottomless abyss. Still, this one wasn't that much better, since we were entering a Nome full of magicians who would gladly turn me into a mouse and feed me to the closest falcon. Oh, the irony…

Anyway, this plan included us becoming invisible—again. Hey, it comes in handy a lot when you're hiding from people who are trying to kill you (which, sadly, is normal for us.) We each had to perform the spell individually, because it would call for too much power to encase all three of us in Zia's invisible bubble like she had casted at the restaurant. When I asked her why she wasn't exhausted from it, she explained that by using fire, she was able to perform the spell for a longer amount of time without using as much energy. Since she specializes in fire magic, she can use its energy for her own purposes whenever she pleases.

In spite of myself, I wondered what you'd do if you mastered in Earth magic. Would you have to carry around a huge rock or something? Or maybe a fistful of dirt? Well, then you'd probably leave a trail behind you as you went, so that would sorta defeat the purpose of an invisibility spell…whatever. That was the least of our problems.

At the moment, our main issue was that we didn't _have_ fire, and something told me if I tried to summon energy from, like, a sword or a _khopesh_, it wouldn't work. I mentioned it anyway, but Zia, who seemed to know everything there is about magic, informed me that it would be impossible. Why am I not surprised?

"It needs to be living, Carter," she explained as she left a gold coin on the table for the waiter. "Like, having a soul. Besides, the spell only works for elementalists." Then she noticed my raised eyebrow and added, "Erm, no offense."

"None taken," I replied, trying not to trip on the unpaved street. "Combat magic totally kicks butt anyway."

I wanted to add that fire wasn't exactly _living_, so it couldn't really have a soul (or a _ren,_ if you want to use Egyptian terms) but that probably would have led to me being proven wrong again by Zia, which I normally don't mind (it is _Zia_, after all) but we didn't have time for another lecture on magic. The next thing I know, we'll be getting into the whole "cheese is an element" argument, and after having that fight with Bast on Memorial Day last year, well, let's just say I don't want a repeat of _that._

Sadie, Zia, and I approached the Third Nome at the end of the road. Dark clouds loomed above us, threatening to rain. The street lights flickered, casting long shadows across the abandoned street. Few lights sifted through the dirty windows of the rundown apartments that bordered the road, making the overall setting look abandoned and depressing. Before us was an old house with red shingles and faded yellow paint. There was a welcome mat caked with dirt and grime from years out in the rain outside the door, as if the Roman magicians were trying to make the place look more inviting. Well, it _wasn't_ working.

"Do we knock?" Sadie asked, only half joking. She had a point, though. There were no windows to the small tenement. The wooden door, faded and ancient, looked normal enough for the poorer part of the city, but I knew better. There was bound to be dozens of wards and spells on the other side, just waiting for some stupid magicians to fry. One wrong move and we'd probably be incinerated on the spot. I wouldn't want to sell Girl Scout cookies on this street; it could be life threatening.

"So what do we do now?" Sadie moaned, staring at the doorknob as if it were a bomb. Hey, for all we knew, it was.

"Go invisible," Zia demanded, looking over her shoulder. "They'll be here any minute. It's almost midnight."

"Who'll be here?" I asked. "Why mid—"

"Now!"

Then Zia disappeared before my very eyes. Sadie was gone before I turned around. I may be a little slow, but after I heard the heavy footsteps coming from down the street, I recited the spell pretty quickly and faded into the gloomy background.

There were three of them, all dark haired and tough looking. The magician in the front was the largest of the threesome, bulky with probably every bicep and tricep you can imagine. His face had a long, red scar that ran from the corner of his lip to his left brow. [Yes, Sadie, sorta like that villain from _The Lion King,_ only I think he made that lion look like a cute, cuddly kitten.] He must have been the leader, since he did _not_ look like the guy you would want to mess with everyday. Well, unless you wanted a knuckle sandwich, that is.

The other magician was a foot smaller than the other. In other words, the second guy was six feet tall. He had a bunch of watches on both arms and a dark pair of expensive-looking sunglasses. His hands looked were as big as my head and could probably break down the booby-trapped door singlehandedly. By the looks of him, I wouldn't be surprised if he did. Yeah, maybe _now_ you understand why us Kanes use invisibility so often.

The last magician actually wasn't too bad; a scrawny, devious looking teen with a face covered in acne and a Britney Spears concert t-shirt. He carried two large staffs and as much scrolls as his skinny, freckled arms could carry. Mind racing, body quaking, he hurried after the hulks-in-training. Somehow he was managing not to drop anything as he scampered after the others, and something told me his buddies wouldn't be too happy if he did. Even from behind the bush, I could see the fear in his eyes as he hustled behind them.

"Hurry!" the tallest dude bellowed. "The doors will be closing in a minute!"

"C-coming! I'm coming!" the small one replied, though I think the leader was talking to the man with the shades. By the way he looked at the little guy, you'd think he was nothing more than a pesky mosquito that kept buzzing around his ear and wanted desperately to squish.

"What a dweep," Sadie observed, and I knew she must have seen the black t-shirt that he kept tugging nervously. Or maybe it was the purple socks that gave him away.

"Shh! They're opening the door," Zia murmured. "Wait for my signal. When the time's right, recite the spell. Then place your hand on the back of one of their necks."

"Their _necks?_" Sadie wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Why on _Earth_—"

Before my sister could finish, the wooden door creaked open. I felt Zia's grip on my shoulder tighten. Then she whispered "go!" and we recited the three verse spell Zia had taught us back at the café. Almost instantly, a blast of green light shot out of each of our hands. The magicians hadn't stood a chance. All three of them fell to the dirt road with a thud.

I felt someone—Zia probably—brush past me as I walked towards the fallen Romans. I was about to place my hand on the closest one, the shades guy, when I bumped into someone. I could faintly smell the scent of bubble gum as Sadie yelled, "This one's mine! Get your own!"

I shrugged and walked over to the largest guy, who was the closest to my right. Before I could lay a finger on him, I heard Zia's voice next to my ear.

"I don't think so, Kane. Slow pokes get last dips," she mocked. "Looks like you get that one, the boy with the ever-so-attractive acne."

"Oh, come on!" I protested, but the girls wouldn't give in. With a sigh, I put my hand on the neck of the curly haired kid and muttered a short spell. I couldn't understand most of it, but I did catch the word "ren," which is never a good sign. The last thing I needed was something happening to my soul.

Instantly, a hieroglyphic burned above the guy's head. The other two magicians also had a fiery symbol levitating above them. About a split second later, I felt a powerful force tugging at my body, and before I could even react, I was lying on the ground, staring up at a darkened sky.

"What the hec—" Stunned, I stopped in mid-sentence. It wasn't my voice, but the squeaky, pre-puberty voice of the scrawny magician. I ran my hand—my _freckled_ hand—through my curly brown hair. In dismay, I looked down at my t-shirt, only to find the face of Britney Spears smiling back at me. Sadly, the feeling of being in someone else's body was all too familiar to me.

"Looking good, Carter," the shades-dude said in a husky voice. In shock, I realized that Hulk Jr. was _Sadie._

"I'll get you two for this," I threatened. It didn't come out as frightening as I had hoped for though, since my voice cracked after the first word. Zia and Sadie burst into laughter, really _manly_ laughter, as I rolled my eyes. I found it depressing that my little sister stood a half a foot taller than me and sounded more like a guy than I did. Talk about embarrassing.

"Let's get this over with," I muttered, taking a step towards the door.

"What do we do once we get in there?" Sadie asked in her new husky voice as we stepped over the welcome mat.

"Well, you know what they say," Zia whispered as a bunch of magicians came into view. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

*::*::*

**This chapter's a little short, but I'll be updating sometime this week (probably Saturday or Sunday…) so that will hopefully make up for it. I just wanted to update, and this was all I had time for. Well, I'll make an extra-long chapter this weekend, how's that? ;)**

**Well everyone, the Throne of Fire is here! How cool is that? I remember when it was exactly a year (I got the Red Pyramid the day it came out, as nerdy as that sounds.) ;) I wanna read it! No…**_**must**_** do homework…stay strong…**

**I was thinking that now the actual book 2 is out that I may just end this story, but I don't think I will. The story must go on! ;) ****I promised myself I won't use anything from the actual sequel though, and I will keep my promise, as hard as that will be after I actually read it…****If anything from book 2 is in my fanfic, then it's because I was going to use it anyway, and Rick Riordan happened to be thinking the same thing. Sorta like the whole quest for the Book of Ra, and another thing in book 2 that I'm extremely shocked about, but won't say because many of you haven't read it yet. Well, it's freaky! That's all I shall say :)**

**I told you I get off topic easily! :D Well, please review guys! As always, they are greatly appreciated. ****Now I must go back to my math homework. Horrah! T_T**

**Love,**

** (:(:(:mythomagic:):):) **

**P.S. I learned some pretty cool stuff from Rick Riordan's book signing that I thought I'd share with you all! Check out my profile under "Book of Ra Newz" for some facts I betcha didn't know about Rick and his books! :)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey guys! I finished the Throne of Fire on Wednesday, and for all those who haven't read it, well, it's AWESOME! Now I won't read about Carter for another year...oh, the humanity! :'( Well, I guess nothing gold can stay (the Outsiders 4 life!) Anyway, here's the chapter I promised (late as usual, but at least I updated within the week...sorta) Enjoy and PLEASE review everyone! **

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Turning into a dweeb with long, wiry hair can really ruin your day. Did I mention he hadn't washed it in what smelled like _years?_ [Sadie just called that sentence "horrid," but I think it's worth mentioning, since none of you were forced by a certain _sister_ to have this experience.] I got up close and personal with it as the long, greasy strands brushed across my face with every step I took. Gods, of all the magicians who were walking to the Third Nome that day, I just_ had_ to get stuck with the one who had no knowledge whatsoever of personal hygiene.

Anyway, once we entered the Nome, there were magicians everywhere. I guess I was wrong about the Romans not liking the nightlife. They all must come here to party instead.

Before us was an open garden, or at least, it used to be a garden. Besides the small fountain in the middle, there was nothing beautiful about the place. Dead flowers and weeds sprung up from the dry soil, and the crooked tree was sparse and old.

In the center of the garden was a large wrestling platform with two bulky guys in togas, who circled each other like hawks over their prey. A large crowd surrounded them, cheering them on in Italian and making a drum roll sound by crashing their weapons (which every one of them were holding) onto the tile pathway. Now I understood why the geeky kid had looked so frightened before he came here. These people looked like real Spartans, and for all I knew, they were, since I have met magicians _much_ older than that. And since I had shoes that were way too big for me, I started to have horrible visions of me tripping on my shoe lace and impaling myself with one of those swords. I had already tripped and fallen into Sadie twice, who's to say I won't do it again? For the tenth time that night, I cursed this lanky kid with bad hygiene and no taste in music.

Zia led the way, although it's sort of difficult to refer to her as Zia when she's six foot three and looks like a professional wrestler. Sadie followed Zia, leaving me in the dust as I sneezed from the pollen in the air (Did I mention this kid had allergies? Bonus!) and tripped on my worn, blue Converse. It's times like these that I truly despise my sister and Zia.

I half expected all the Spartan dudes to run after us with their spears, but none of them acknowledged our presence. They seemed too intrigued in watching the guy in the blue toga twist the red guy's leg at an impossible angle and listen to his cries of agony. Entertaining, right?

"This way," Zia demanded, seeming to enjoy the role of leader. The moment she spoke, a few of the men in togas turned around and trained their dark eyes on us. Sadie immediately rushed to my side and shoved me. With a yelp, I stumbled forward and barely managed not to trip and fall flat on my face. (Well, not my face, but you get the idea.) Actually, for _this_ kid, it would have been an improvement.

"Keep moving!" Sadie shouted in her husky voice as the others howled with laughter. Seething with anger, I kept my head down and marched after Zia.

"This is _not_ the life I ordered," I muttered under by breath.

I instantly felt a little sympathy for the kid whose body I had taken over for the time being. If this is what he had to go through every day, then no wonder why he looked so on edge and out of place. He definitely didn't belong here, and neither did we.

"You're pushing it, Sadie," I muttered when the Spartans were out of hearing. Without meeting my eyes, Sadie replied, "It's all an act, Carter. They suspect something about us. I had to convince them that we were, well, like _them."_

"You mean you're trying to be cruel, heartless, and a jerk? Well, it's working. All you lack is the blood-stained sword."

I understood what she meant though; those were the kind of people who would take pleasure in physical and mental types of torture. Still, it didn't make me feel much better. The sooner we left this place, the better.

Huh, maybe I shouldn't have thrown that coin into the Trevi Fountain.

"It should be around here somewhere," Zia muttered to herself as she tried to navigate the hallways. "I think the mess hall is down that way…or was that the main hall?"

"Well, I suggest we ask for some directions," Sadie suggested, "since this is _obviously_ getting us nowhere."

"We can't," Zia said firmly. "We're pretending that we here. How would it look if we started asking where a statue of Ra was when the three of us are supposed to be magicians who have been training in this Nome for years?"

"Oh…right." Sadie sighed. "I see your point."

"Exactly."

"Well, can't we send out some sort of tracking spell to find us what we need?" my sister complained. "This is taking _forever._"

"You're the one with the all-powerful spell book," I pointed out.

Sadie's eyes widened as if this was news for her. "Oh yeah. Let me see if there's a spell on 'Tracking Magical, Inanimate Objects.'"

She flipped through the ancient pages as we weaved through corridor after corridor. Occasionally, we'd pass a display of century old weapons, or a preserved head of an enemy, which I guess is your normal decoration when you're a Spartan; a few faded maps, a statue of Mars, the Roman god of war (whose eyes seemed to follow me wherever I went, though the dweeb's eyesight wasn't that great, so I must have been imagining it…) and even a few sets of battle armor dating back thousands of years.

Personally, I found all this stuff pretty fascinating, or maybe the _ren_ of the geeky kid was starting to rub off on me. In fact, after about twenty minutes of pointless searching, I started to have an odd craving for a Britney Spears song and low sodium Trail Mix. I don't even _like_ Trail Mix!

"Uh, guys, are you starting to…uh…"

Well, I couldn't tell them that I wanted to stop and listen to "Hit Me Baby One More Time," now could I? They'd think I'd gone insane. Gods, maybe I _had…_

"Odd? Peculiar?" Sadie offered. "Well, I'm starting to have the strong urge to knock somebody's head in, so yes, I would say I'm feeling a little…off."

"The rens. They're returning to their bodies," Zia explained. "We have to hurry, we're running out of time. Just stay focused on your own ren and try not to think of your host. It may buy us some time."

"It's sort of hard not to think about them, since I'm still in a body of a tall, muscular bloke who must eat nails for breakfast," Sadie muttered. "I mean, who craves a javelin at a time like this?"

"Focus on the Book, Sadie," I reminded her. "We need that spell."

"Oh, right...Wait, here it is!" she shouted. "Recite a few simple lines, and we should be able to find—"

Out of habit, I nervously ran my hand through my hair. When My fingers touched the strands, though, they weren't long and greasy. Instead, they were shorter and smooth. When I pulled one in front of my face, I realized it was black.

_Uh oh._

"Um, Sadie? Zia? I think we have a problem."

*::*::*

It wasn't long before the three of us began turning back to normal. Zia and Sadie seemed to shrink with every minute that passed, and Sadie's tan head was covered in a weird combination of short, black hair and long, blond strands. Normally, I would have found this funny, but not today. If the Romans found us now, they wouldn't be fooled by our appearance, and we still didn't have the second portion of the Book of Ra. In other words, things weren't going too well in the Eternal City.

Finally, Zia's eyes, now a combination of dark brown and amber, lit up with recognition.

"I know this corridor!" she shouted, breaking into a run. "The statue's down here! Quick!"

I followed as best I could with my shoes still untied (And yes, I know how to tie my shoes, but no matter what I did, they kept coming undone. Well, what did I expect? This definitely wasn't my day.)

Not too far away, I could hear the outraged cries of magicians, coming in our direction. Something told me they were no longer convinced by our disguises. Somehow, they figured out that we weren't what we seemed, and would be on top of us in minutes.

Before I could mention this, we arrived at our destination. Looming above us was a ten foot statue of Ra, carved in obsidian. In his hand he held a crook and flail; the official weapons of the sun god. His lips seemed to be curved into a half smile as he watched over a barren hallway.

"Sooo…what now?" Sadie asked, taking a step towards the statue. Her voice had returned to normal at this point, and the black colored hair had practically disappeared. "If that's Ra, he doesn't look too impressive. In fact, he doesn't look like a sun god at all. Why all the black rock?"

"Black absorbs sunlight," I explained. "I guess they thought that the spirit of Ra could use the sunlight that the rock absorbs to, like, use for energy or whatever. But yeah, most people would use gold. Actually, I think this is Khnum, which is why he has ram horns. This looks like a replica of the one in the Egyptian museum in Berlin, which also displays a bust of Queen Nerfirtiti, the most beautiful woman in the world."

Subconsciously, I glanced at Zia, who was watching me curiously. "So they say," I added, giving her a smile.

Sadie yawned dramatically.

"Sadie, were you even listening?" I asked, too weary to even care.

"Of course, Carter dear," Sadie replied as she rolled her eyes. "I always yawn when I'm interested."

"Hey!" I objected. Before I could say anymore, the sound of the enraged cries of the Spartans' heightened. They were almost on top of us, and we had absolutely nowhere to hide.

"Quick!" Sadie exclaimed. "Where do you think the Book would be hidden on this thing?"

"Some sort of symbol! You know, like the scarab in the First Nome." I knit my eyebrows in concentration. "Let me see…there was some sort of symbol for Khnum…I think it has something to do with pottery…and clay," I concluded with uncertainty. But I could have sworn Khnum had something to do with the creation of mankind…

"Well, this is not the time to have a brain cramp, Carter!" Sadie shouted. "Angry magicians+spears=not-a-safe-situation-that-we-probably-won't-survive!"

"I'm thinking!" I shouted over the din. The magicians were just around the corner. We didn't have time for thinking; we needed these pages, and fast.

I approached the statue and began looking at the carved symbols at its base. The Book had to be activated by one of these symbols, it just had to be. Our lives depended on it.

I scanned the symbols, searching frantically for something I recognized. Then, just as the Spartans rounded the corner, I found it; a small potter's wheel etched into the black obsidian. It was the symbol for Khnum, the creator of humankind, who constructed the first man from clay and created the Nile.

"Guys, I think this is it!" I cried, turning to face Sadie and Zia. When I turned however, I found myself face to face with four Spartans in black battle armor and about a dozen weapons on hand. Zia looked like she was trying to swallow an orange. She stood her ground in front of the muscular magicians, but I could sense her fear. This was a battle we could not win. We were outnumbered, and these Romans had been training in combat for thousands of years. Not to mention they had powerful magic on their side.

In the past few days, I had become all too familiar with weapons and what it feels like to have one thrust into your gut. Yeah, that wasn't a very appealing sentence, was it? Well, it's the truth. Besides, the last thing we needed was more violence. And that's not just my inner Gandhi, people. The world was about to be thrown into total chaos. Apophis was about to kill billions of innocent people. If I killed someone, then how different would I be from the Serpent?

"Okay Khnum, don't fail me now," I whispered as I pressed the hieroglyphic in one final, desperate attempt to find the pages. For a long, horrible moment, nothing happened. All that could be heard was the gruff voices of the Spartans, arguing with Sadie and Zia.

"Excuse me, gentlemen. We're here to retrieve some very, _very_ important pages that could possibly save your sorry lives," Sadie was saying. "So you can either_ try_ to hurt us or get out of the way."

"You can't fool us, girlies," a tall Roman, dark eyes and angry, replied. "We found those magicians you spelled. You'll never make it out alive. Now give up or be killed."

Just then the ground began to shake, and the statue of the god split down the middle, revealing a stone pedestal. On the pedestal was a stack of pages; the second portion of the Book of Ra.

"Bingo." I quickly ran over the rubble and retrieved the pages, about ten or so, before the Romans could even react. Even Sadie and Zia looked surprised.

"How about none of the above?" I suggested, taking out my wand from my dad's bag. "We have the magic of Ra on our side. Now step aside or be destroyed."

The magicians stared at me for a long, suspenseful moment. Then they broke into hysertical laughter. "Oh, we're sooo scared. You're the one hiding behind two girls. I wouldn't be looking so brave if I was you."

I smiled in spite of myself. "Well, I'd rather have these girls on my side then idiots like you," I replied, meaning every word. "And if I were you, I wouldn't be insulting them unless you want to be crushed. Take my word for it and get out of here. This is your last chance.'

Zia stood up a little straighter and Sadie looked up from the Book, which she had been reading as I spoke. The tallest magician in the front shook his head and chuckled darkly.

"You are a disgrace to man, Carter Kane. You'll never be a warrior."

I considered that for a second. "Well, if being a warrior means I'd end up like you, then I'll take that last comment as a compliment."

"Get them!" The leader yelled, raising his sword into the air.

Sadie coughed. "Stupidity is not a crime, guys. Therefore, you are free to go. Last warning, because as much as I despise you all, I'd rather not do this."

"…Huh?" The Spartans said in unison, looking stunned and confused.

Sadie sighed, as if the magicians had failed a very important test. "However, lingering _is_ a crime, so I guess…you're done for!"

Then she raised her hands and murmured a long, complicated verse to one of the sun god's spells. I couldn't understand a word of it, but I did recognize one of the hieroglyphics that burned in the air as she spoke: the symbol for donkey.

Now, donkey curses are probably the most frightening curses I have ever seen, but after witnessing the effect of Sadie's spell on these Spartans, I changed my mind. The first dude's nose began to stretch outward, sorta like Pinocchio after he had told a lie. Only this Spartan didn't have a long, wooden nose. In a matter of seconds, he had a wide, furry snout. The next guy sprouted ears, and the third had a long, russet-colored tail, as if he had just come from a birthday party and someone had used_ him_ for the donkey. The last man's hands turned into black, mud-splattered hooves.

As the four Romans ran around in panic, I glanced wearily at my sister, who had a ridiculous grin on her face.

"Um…Sadie?"

In moments, we were no longer staring at four Spartans, but four foul-smelling donkeys. Their togas lay in a pile on the floor, along with their staffs and weapons.

"Well, that was easy," Sadie commented, quoting the Easy Button in a sing-song voice.

"That was…freaky," I decided, stepping back from my sister. "I'm not gonna even ask where you learned that, or why of all things you could do to them, you turned them into donkeys!"

Sadie huffed. "Carter, please don't make me explain why I chose this specific animal. I thought it would be rather obvious, seeing how you saw all their wonderful displays and forms of entertainment. Personally, I think this look suits them well."

I had a feeling I knew what Sadie meant, but she wouldn't do such a thing…would she?

"Oh…you mean…?"

"Yes, Carter," she simply replied. "Now let's leave these…erm, donkeys be and escape before more of their kind come after us. I'm not in the mood to turn anyone else into a lousy—"

"—donkey," I interrupted before Sadie could finish. Hey, just trying to keep things rated G. "Now let's get out of here."

One of the donkeys—I can't really refer to them as Spartans, now can I?—brayed at me as I passed by and snapped at my shoe lace. Okay, so I probably should have kept walking, but I felt bad for them, even if they were—well, what donkeys were commonly called. They used to be human after all, and they sorta reminded of the warrior in my dream (if you'd consider that a dream) even ifthey were jerks.

I took a bit of a cracker out of my backpack and tossed it to the animal closest to me. Then I wished them luck, hoping that they'd end up in a nice, quiet petting zoo somewhere in Sicily or something. Finally, I chased after Sadie and Zia, who had already summoned a portal and were waiting for me by the display of some king's preserved finger. The swirling vortex levitated about a foot in the air, and I could already fell its power urging me forward.

"Two down, one more to go," Sadie said cheerfully, as if she hadn't just turned four men into burros just moments before. "Now let's get out of here before their friends arrive."

"Agreed," Zia and I replied in unison. All three of us had turned back to normal at this point, which was a relief. Just as Sadie jumped into the portal, Zia turned to me and smiled.

"You know, you played the part of 'dweeb' pretty well," Zia commented as we approached the entrance.

I pretended to look offended. "Gee, thanks."

Zia grinned. "Well, you were a very cute dweeb."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks, but I don't think I'll do it again," I explained. "I'm _done_ with Rome."

"Shame." Zia sighed. "They have good cannoli."

The two of us laughed, and together, we stepped into the swirling portal above. So, my advice to you all? When in Rome, don't do as the Romans do. Run for your life.

*::*::*

**Okay, so according to my calculations, I'm almost done with this story. Just a few more chapters to go...**

**Anyway, please review guys. It only takes a few seconds out of your life. How did you think of the Throne of Fire? This chapter? This story in general? Anything, since I'd like to hear some feedback from what I'm writing (and I just love the KC.) Well, have a good weekend everyone (despite the fact that tomorrow is judgement day o_0) and don't forget to review!**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hey guys! I'm gonna try to update right now before I have to get back to work. I have a 15 page short story to write and an essay about some Thomas Jefferson quote all due on Thursday! **_**Pressure! **_**o_o Whatever, I must update...Kane Chronicles is calling, and I just had a burst of inspiration. ;) Enjoy and as always, please review! If I get enough, I'll update on Friday! :D P.S sorry it's short! It's all I have time for!**

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The portal transported us back to the desert we camped out in a day before. The sun was high in the sky, which meant it was about noon. Exhausted, Sadie collapsed onto the blanket she had packed in her backpack and fell asleep almost instantly.

"Don't bother me unless you want to be turned into a donkey," she threatened as her eyes fluttered shut. Her breathing became steady, and for once, Sadie actually looked peaceful. Gazing at her, you would never guess that she had just run for her life from blood thirsty Spartans and turned four guys into burros.

I immediately felt bad—I had forgotten how much energy it requires to summon a portal—and Sadie had been summoning them quite a lot recently. I couldn't blame her for feeling beat.

"You tired too?" I asked Zia, who had taken out her own sleeping bag and was brushing off the grains of sand. "I'll take first watch if you want."

"Tired?" Zia looked at me like I had two heads. "It's one in the afternoon!"

"We'll…yeah…but we were just chased by a group of crazed, savage Romans," I pointed out, sitting down beside her.

Zia shuddered. "Yes, I forgot how…uh, _sensitive_ they get. It's been a while since I've been there."

"Sensitive? More like murderous. Those guys were _barbaric_!" I accused, pointing my finger in her direction. "That's the last time I let _you_ chose the Nome we go to."

"It's not _my_ fault. _I_ didn't choose the location of the Book," she argued, though I could see the smile forming on her lips. "Ra's _priests_ did, and in a way, they were quite intelligent. No magician in their right mind would agree to travel to the Third Nome unless you're invited, and even _that's_dangerous."

"Wait, are you saying we're not sane?" I asked, edging closer to her.

Zia ignored my comment. "Well, at least we _survived._ It could have been a lot worse. They could have tried to roast someone on a stake, or tear your limbs apart, or—"

She silenced when she noticed my horrified expression.

"Should I ask how you know this?" I managed to ask, not daring to look at her.

Even when I wasn't facing her, I could tell she was smiling faintly. "I wouldn't I were you."

"Oookay then."

Before Zia could reply, the sky suddenly darkened. And no, I don't mean that the clouds moved in front of the sun. I mean that the sky literally turned black, as if the gods had hit the OFF switch on the sun. We were thrown instantly into total darkness.

"What the heck—"I started, reaching for Zia's arm.

Just then, Sadie screamed, making me jump a foot in the air. In an instant, I was at her side. Body quaking, she sat up in her sleeping bag and stared at the sky in horror.

"Sadie?" I shouted, fear creeping into my voice. The odd weather was quickly forgotten as I examined my sister for any wounds. Luckily, she had none, but the terrified look in her eyes was enough to make my blood run cold. "Sadie? Can you hear me? _Sadie!_"

"She's in shock," Zia observed, waving a hand in front of my sister's big, blue eyes—so much like our mother's. The thought made my heart skip a beat.

"Sadie," I whispered, waving my hand in front of her face desperately. "Sadie! Wake _up!_ Come on, Sadie!"

I felt someone—Zia—rest her hand on my shoulder, but even that didn't help. I had never seen Sadie so horrified. Whatever she had seen…

Deep down, I knew who did this to my sister. Fists clenching, I rose and walked away from Sadie's side, kicking sand out of my way in frustration. How could we defeat Apophis now? We had even less time, not to mention the serpent was slowly torturing us in our dreams. He was simply too powerful. Was I really fighting a losing battle?

"Carter."

"What?" I asked, my voice barely audible as I glared at the barren landscape before me.

"Sadie…she'll be alright," Zia assured me. "She's just had a bit of a shock—"

"A bit of a shock," I muttered bitterly. I had a pretty good idea what Sadie had seen, and if it had anything to do with Apophis, I'm sure it did a _lot_ more than just "shock" her.

"It was more than that, Zia." I murmured, not trusting myself to look at her or my sister. "We both know that."

Zia sighed. "Carter, I know what Apophis did to you, okay? Sadie and I were there. Sure, I'll never know exactly what you saw, but Sadie's vision definitely wasn't like that. She would have been screaming hours ago, nonstop. Believe me, if the embodiment of chaos touched her mind, we'd know." She paused, probably waiting for me to comment, but I had nothing to say. I had never felt so helpless in my entire life. If Apophis was using this as a way to weaken me—well, it was working.

"Sorry," I whispered, turning to face her.

For once, Zia Rashid looked startled. "For what?"

"Everything," I explained. "We barely escaped Rome alive, Zia. Same with the First Nome. Do you really think we'll be able to find the last portion, wherever it is? Do you seriously believe we can save the world?"

Zia sighed again, her amber eyes dark with sadness. "Yes. I do, Carter. And so do you. You need to have faith in this, or all is lost. If the magicians aren't on our side, and most of the_gods_ don't believe in us, then who will?"

"Um…my dead parents?" I asked acidly, glancing at my sister, whose expression was the same; clouded and horrified.

"Us," Zia continued. "We have to believe in ourselves, or we'll lose to chaos. Apophis feeds off fear and hopelessness. We can't give him the pleasure of watching us give up on ourselves. We _can_do this, Carter. We're already so close. And I know Sadie feels the same way."

I laughed bitterly. "When did you and Sadie become best friends?"

Even Zia cracked a smile, her teeth bright against the darkness. "She isn't all bad, Carter. In fact, she's extremely brave, and isn't afraid to, well, speak her mind." Zia's smile broadened. "She's lucky to have you as a brother."

"Yeah sure," I muttered. "A lot of good that did her." But I knew what she meant. Still, I couldn't bear to think that my sister had just gone through what I endured only a few nights ago. No one deserved that kind of torture—especially not Sadie. She was always so full of life—gods knew what those kind of visions would do to her. I had already lost my parents, and I was definitely _not_ losing my sister to some stupid, ancient serpent.

"Carter…look," Zia said, her voice alarmed and her eyes alert. "Sadie's staring at something." Zia turned her back on me, gazing at the portion of sky my sister was staring at. Eyes wide, mouth agape, Sadie's terrified expression remained unchanged.

I copied Zia's example, but I couldn't see what the big deal was. The sky was dark (it was night, what did she expect?) except for the moon shining almost directly above us. Before I could point this out, Zia gasped.

"What?" I asked, squinting at the stars.

"Carter…look closer at the moon," Zia demanded, closing her amber eyes.

"Whaaa?"

"Just do it," she replied in a no nonsense tone.

Shrugging inwardly to myself, I obeyed Zia and glanced up at the moon. It was the same as always: white, bright, a few craters here and there. Before I could say so, however, I realized what was different. Instead of the moon being in its gibbous phase (you know, the phase the moon goes through when it takes the shape of a lemon?) it was small and thin, like the croissant I had imagined Desjardins pigging out on in the First Nome.

"But that's not possible," I murmured, recalling the phases of the moon my mother had taught me. "That's the Waning _Crescent_ phase. It's supposed to be at the Waning _Gibbous_phase, since we have a week before Apophis rises. And if the world's supposed to end on the next new moon…" My voice faded as the truth dawned on me.

No. I refused to believe it. This could _not_ be happening. The moon can't just speed up its rotation around the Earth. It just isn't possible.

"But it is," Zia whispered, eerily answering my thoughts. "Think Carter. What did Nut do in order to gain five extra days to give birth?"

Mind racing, I searched my memory for the answer, but it was hard to think of anything when your sister was on the verge of a mental breakdown and the world was about to end. "Ra wouldn't let her have them on any day of the year, so she gambled with the moon god for some extra time—five extra days," I recalled, turning back to face Zia and Sadie. "And she won. That forced the moon god to create five extra days of the year—the demon days."

"Khonsu," Zia concluded gravely. "The god of youth and the moon, also known as the traveler. His role relates to the moon's nightly journey across the sky each night. Win against the moon god, and you can gain extra time—even reverse it. But I never heard of speeding _up_ time before." Zia tilted her head, curiously gazing up at the stars, as if they held the answer to our problems. "Khonsu has always been the rebellious type, but this just isn't his style. Even _he_ wouldn't side with Apophis."

"You sound really sure of yourself," I noted. "How do you know he wouldn't join with the serpent? Everyone else is."

"Carter, if the sun is destroyed by Apophis, so would the moon. There has to be a balance between light and dark. If something upsets the balance, the world is thrown in chaos. Even Khonsu wouldn't want that," Zia stated, as if the answer was obvious. "The moon's his major power source, and the main object that ties him to the human world. Take that away, and he'll be exiled into the deepest corners of the Duat, defenseless and drained of power. No, Khonsu would never take that big of a risk."

"Well, he did, and it didn't end in his favor," I muttered bitterly, glaring at the moon and willing it to disappear. "How many more days are left then? How much time do we have before the Earth ends for good?"

Zia's eyes, bright and amber, studied the moon for a brief moment. Then they settled on me, and by Zia's expression, I knew we were in trouble. "By the looks of it, we lost five days. That means the next new moon is two days from now." Zia took a deep breath, turning her gaze back to the Book of Ra: our last and only hope. "The world as we know it will end—the day after tomorrow."

*::*::*

**Uh...oh...that doesn't sound too good.**

**PLEASE ****REVIEW! ****Seriously guys! I'd really appreciate it. Do you have any suggestions? Comments? Well, let me know! :)**

**Oh, and if you guys haven't read the sneak peek of The Son Of Neptune (PERCY'S POV!) then check out Rick Riordan's blog (Myth and Mystery) for the link! REVIEW PLEASE, and I hope you all had a great long weekend (that is, if you even had one...) Remember, more reviews=more updates! School's almost out, so I should be finishing soon! :D Ta for now!**

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	22. Chapter 22

**Hey guys! Sorry I couldn't update: I've been on field trips. Fun stuff :) OHMIGODS, the school year's almost over, and I'm about to complete my LAST MATH HOMEWORK! Pinch me, I must be dreaming...**

**On the plus side, since summer's coming, I'll be able to update two times a week, finish this fanfic, and get started on my new one (which I'm pretty excited about. More info in later chapters ;) The down side is that I'm going to high school *insert horror scream here!* and I'm SUPER nervous! In fact, I just learned today that kids in the classes I'll be taking get five hours of homework per **_**night! **_**Is that even possible?**

**Well, I'm going to stop rambling let you read the story. Meanwhile, I'll be hyperventilating in a corner…**

**Enjoy!**

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Yes, so while Zia and Carter were having their little moment, I was watching a poker game in the Duat. Well, not a poker game, more like a confusing Egyptian game with a bunch of sticks.[Senet, according to Carter, but _honestly_, who cares?] A bald, middle aged man in a pinstriped suit sat on one end, looking pleased as he stared out at the glorious view of what looked like Paris. He sat on a large swivel chair in an high end apartment with black leather furniture and an expensive looking kitchen. On the granite counter top, a pot stirred itself with a wooden spoon. Inside, if my eyes weren't mistaken, was about three gallons of liquid silver. From what was cooking, I did _not_ want to know who was coming to dinner.

The other man—or should I say _creature—_sat on the opposite end of the table, grinning just as broadly. Scales, glistening and green, seemed to be rippling over and over, as if his entire body was doing The Wave. Its eyes were acid green, and its bald head seemed to reflect the light of the high end apartment. Red, pus covered wounds blanketed his tall, scaly body. Luckily, I couldn't see below his torso, because I'm sure it would look just as disgusting. I couldn't tell who was winning, because unlike some people [coughCartercough] I'm not an expert on ancient, _boring_ Egyptian entertainment.

"Your move, Servant of Chaos," Pinstriped Suit Man pointed out, motioning to the board with his rough, dark hands in annoyance.

"All in good time, Khonsssu," Servant chided, raising a hairy, black eyebrow. "You wouldn't want me to make the wrong move, would you?"

"Actually, I would," Khonsu replied honestly. "I'd love to devour your ren, but don't mind me."

"Of courssse you would," the demon muttered, but I could see a smile playing on his blood red lips. "And then I wouldn't gain the time my lord desiresss, now would I? You don't want him as your enemy, Khonsu. It's not too late to reconsider."

"No thanks, demon. I'd prefer to continue being the moon god, if you don't mind," Khonsu spat. "This has been my job for eons. I love a little bet as much as the next guy, but these are stakes are a little too great for my liking." The god eyed the demon suspiciously. "At least now I have a chance of winning."

"But surely, Khonsssu," the demon whispered, raising a clawed hand to the board. "You realize that the Serpent lord always winsss."

"Well, I—"

"You're a fool, moon god," Servant murmured, his voice calm and his body relaxes. "Did you _really_ think I'd risk my lord's plansss on a measssly game of senet? Surely you realized that there was no way you could win." Grinning mischievously, the demon moved his piece to the opposite end of the board, knocking the last of Khonsu's pieces off in the process.

"That's—that's cheating, Servant of Chaos," Khonsu pointed out, his voice shaking. "There was no way you could have escaped that. We agreed—"

"It'sss not exactly cheating, moon god. The Master of Chaosss has been around for a millennia," the demon explained, his long, red tongue flicking like a serpent as he spoke. "Did you honestly believe you could beat me, a ssservant to the all powerful Massster? I was privileged enough to learn his skillsss, and it was more than enough to outwit you. Admit it, Khonsu. You've lost, and so has your helpless creationsss."

Khonsu flinched at his words, making me wonder what his creations were, and what would become of them.

"Soon, Apophisss will destroy all of mankind," Servant continued, "and _you_ helped him do it."

"No. _No!_" the moon god roared. "I refuse—"

"You can't resist!" The demon hissed, his green eyes glowing an evil, acidic light. "The deal was ssset in ssstone. Now, _give it to me._"

"NEVER!"

"Give to me, fool, or face the WRATH OF CHAOS!" Servant bellowed, raising a long, gold staff. The tip with carved thin and sharp, like a deadly, magical sword.

"No," Khonsu whispered, his voice wavering as the pot on the stove bubbled and hissed. The silvery liquid began to overflow. "No, I won't—"

The demon smiled an evil, toothy grin as he raised the staff high into the air. "So be it."

Just then, a blinding, white light filled the room. A horrible, high pitched scream followed, but was cut short, as if someone had pressed the OFF button on a radio, silencing the room in the space of a single heartbeat.

When the black spots disappeared from my vision, Khonsu was gone. Only Servant of Chaos remained, and in his slimy grasp was a clock molded into what looked like an aged, golden key. Attached to its gold lining was a long, metal chain that looked like it was made of solid moonlight. Don't get me wrong, I've never actually _seen_ moonlight, but this chain was literally made of pure strands of silver.

Chuckling to himself, the demon opened the glass to expose the two hands inside the clock. With one dirty, crooked finger, he moved forward the hour hand—over and over—until I lost count. When he finished, he stuffed the clock in his robes and left. The pot on the stove was empty, the silvery liquid completely vanished.

The room, modern and clean, faded with each step he took. It was like the entire space was a piece of parchment paper, and someone had set it aflame. Walls crumbled, but instead of falling in pieces onto the marble floor, they simply folded like burning paper and disappeared. The floor dissipated into nothingness, and in a matter of seconds, the room was gone. Only hollow darkness remained, beckoning me forward. In the distance, the sound of maniacal laughter could be heard, until it too faded until it ceased all together.

I was alone.

*::*::*

I awoke to Carter shaking my shoulder. His brown eyes, wide with shock, bore into my blue ones. Before I could speak, Carter placed his hand below my chin, forcing me to look up at him. Startled by his touch, I tried to back away, but Carter's grip only tightened, making me stay put.

"Oh my _gods_, Sadie!" Carter shouted, examining me for injuries. "Are you _alright?_"

Surprised at Carter's concern, I replied, "I'm okay. But I don't think we will be."

"Tell me about it," my brother muttered. "Khonsu sped up time somehow. Just look at the sky." He motioned towards the darkened sky above us, full of thousands of glistening stars and a crescent moon. "The world's gonna end the day after tomorrow, and we _still_ need the last portion of the Book of Ra."

"Khonsu didn't do this," I protested. "Servant of—I mean, a demon—did it. He beat the moon god at some game with sticks, using some trick taught to him by Apophis."

"Apophis?" Zia repeated, speaking for the first time. She moved into my view from behind Carter, her amber eyes wide with concern.

"Yes." I shivered, remembering Khonsu's high pitched cry before he disappeared into nothingness. "Yes, the serpent."

"What happened, Sadie?" Carter questioned, his tone softer than usual. "Did he…"

He left the sentence hanging, but I knew what he meant. "No," I answered. "I didn't have any…dreams. It was just a vision. I didn't, you know, die or anything."

Carter instantly looked relieved, but his eyes still shown with worry. "What happened next?"

"Well," I began, "the demon defeated Khonsu. Then he destroyed him because the god refused to join him or something. There was this bright, green light and suddenly, Khonsu was just…gone." Tears began to fall as I remembered the moon god's horrified expression, his pleading voice, and the acidic, evil glowing eyes of the demon…

"Sadie." Zia's voice came from somewhere behind me, and I felt a hand being placed on my shoulder, squeezing it gently. "I know it's hard, but we need to know what happened. Are you up to it? We can let you rest—"

"No," I replied a little too quickly. The thought of going back to sleep—well, it looked just as appealing as Carter's meat loaf. In other words, the thought of sleeping disgusted me.

Carter raised an eyebrow as Zia's grip on my shoulder tightened. They both stared at me expectantly. With a sigh, I explained, "He took some sort of a watch. Then he opened it and…changed the time."

I looked up at Zia and Carter to see their reactions. Their expressions, however, remained unchanged. Taking another deep breath, I concluded, "The room dissolved after he left with the watch. One minute I'm standing inside a modern apartment, and the next…nothing." Blinking back tears, I glanced back up at the twosome. Carter's expression was full of pity and concern, while Zia's, although there was a trace of worry, looked like she was deep in thought. I could practically see the wheels turning in her head.

"What does it mean?" I asked, eager to break the silence. "What's happening?"

"We already told you," Zia answered, her forehead creased in concentration. "The world's about to end. According to your vision, the _demon_ sped up time, not the moon god. I'm assuming he was a servant of Apophis, which means this was all part of the Serpent's plan. No surprise there; Apophis was always cunning."

"Looks like Apophis can't wait to destroy the world and devour billions of people," Carter observed. "I hate waiting for my birthday as much as the other guy, but I would never do something this extreme. Talk about _desperate._"

Zia rolled her eyes, but I could tell she wasn't as annoyed as she let on. She averted her gaze back to me and continued, "That information, however, has no value to us. It won't help us find the last part of the Book. We need to get going, _now._"

"Woa, _now?_ As in _right now?_" Carter said, shock written all over his face. "But Sadie's still recovering! Can't we let her rest for a little while?"

A wave of anger overwhelmed me. Not for Carter (that's new) but for Apophis. This was all his fault. I wouldn't be here, in the middle of nowhere, if it weren't for him. I'd be in bed at the 21st Nome, teaching the magicians-in-training and eating crusty meat loaf. I'd be emailing my friends, listening to my iPod, and just being normal (well, as normal as you can get when you're a powerful blood of the pharaoh, but you get the point.) Before I could complain, however, a voice that wasn't my own rung inside my head.

"_You're acting childish, Sadie,"_ it said. _"You can't change the past. It's time you grow up, or all is lost."_

_Isis!_I thought, frustration boiling just beneath the surface of my mind like lava in an active volcano. Now _you help me? Where were you when we were trapped in the First Nome, huh? Or Rome? Or in my vision?_

"_Sadie," _the goddess scorned. _"I can't help you directly. You know that. But I have been watching; we all have."_

I gulped. _Ugh…who's "they?"_

"_The gods,"_she explained._"You are convincing them, child. But they still won't join our cause, unless…"_

_We find Ra and the Book._I answered bitterly._Yeah, I know. It's not as easy as it looks—_

_"Not Ra. I mean you have to find the Book, and then convince them yourselves."_Isis paused, for dramatic affect no doubt, then continued._"Forget Ra. He's old and powerless, believe me. He won't help you. Find the final portion of the Book and travel to Alexandria. It is there that Apophis will rise."_

_Of_course_you wouldn't want Ra coming back,_I muttered. _You're the one who banished him! We need the sun god. He'll get them to—_

_"-listen to you?"_Isis laughed._"Don't be so naïve, Sadie. He won't help you. Have faith in yourself, and you may succeed. Otherwise, all is lost."_

I considered her advice, I really did. Not looking for Ra would save us a ton of time, and we were short on that to begin with. And the whole "believe in yourself" bit sounded pretty convincing to me, but still, Zia told me to have faith in our cause, and our cause was finding the Book _and_ Ra. If I backed down, what would that prove? That I was taking the easy way out, that's what; that I didn't have faith in what Carter, Zia, and I had risked our lives trying to achieve. Besides, we needed to find Ra, whether he helped us or not. I don't know why…it just felt right.

_No_, I said.

_"What?"_ Isis demanded, her voice louder than usual in disbelief and anger. _"You _dare _disobey me?"_

_You said yourself that I needed faith in myself, _I pointed out._ Well, my mind is telling me that you're wrong, so I'm going to listen. But you were right about one thing, Isis: I_do_need to grow up. And I will. Starting now, I'm making my _own _decisions. Good bye, Isis. I'll see you in Alexandria._

"_Sadie—_" the goddess began.

Before Isis could finish, I summoned some power from my reserves and imagined a wall inside me, blocking out the goddess and her words of rage. Her voice instantly silenced.

"Sadie?" Carter said, waving his hand in front of my face. "You okay?"

"Never better," I answered, my voice sounding more confident than it had in months. "Let's get going. We have a world to save."

**Sooo, what do you think? I'm almost done!**

**If I don't update within the next week, have an awesome last week of school! (if you're still in school…) Any plans for the summer? I know I'll be busy with fanfiction! Not traveling anywhere though...too bad portals don't exist. :D**

**Annnyway, bye guys! Don't forget to share this story with…other people. ;) Click the buttons on the top of the page (unless you're like me and don't have a Facebook or a Twitter or a MySpace…) and spread the word. Have a great day (because it's FRIDAY! okay, that joke got old pretty fast...) Tata for now!**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	23. Chapter 23

**Heyloooo everyone. I was going to update a while ago but stupid fanfiction (sorry) crashed while I was writing this chapter and DIDNT SAVE, so I had to start all over. Grr. **

**Ugh, the pain! My back and legs are killing me! I had conditioning camp for the second time this week and nearly died. Pff, conditioning camp. More like boot camp. I don't know how you sporty people do it. **

**LOL, my sister is reading The Son Of Neptune right next to me and keeps screaming out insults to Jason and Piper. "Oh my God, if I hear she's beautiful ONE more time..." Ah, great minds think alike. ;) Enjoy the chapter! There won't be much more after this...**

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"Wait, where are we going exactly?" I asked Sadie as we walked onto terminal 1A in the bustling airport of Cairo. "And what is all this about Isis?"

"Nothing," Sadie replied unconvincingly, glancing at the clock above us. "The important thing is that we get the last portion of the Book of Ra by tomorrow. Now hurry, I don't want to miss the flight."

"I still don't see why we couldn't have used a portal," I muttered, looking for the flight A97. "We'd be there in seconds."

"Carter, the world's about to end. Apophis is almost at the height of his power," Zia explained calmly as she maneuvered her way through the rowdy crowd. "He's already shut down every portal there is, and traveling in the Duat would be suicide. Demons are everywhere now that the end has begun. Besides, even if we could use portals, we're all too weak to summon one."

Sadie and I didn't argue. Even after the Starbucks coffee I'd just bought in the airport, I could still barely keep my eyes open. Every now and again, my eye lids would close, and I'd bump into some rushing stranger who'd start screaming at me in Arabic. Hey, give me a break. My powers were almost completely drained from the recent events of the past few days, and neither of us had had a good night's sleep since.

A pleasant sounding woman announced over the loud speaker that our flight was about to take off. We had only minutes, if that, to catch our plane.

"Where are we headed exactly?" I asked, the realization that I had no idea where we were going suddenly occurring to me.

"The 21st Nome," answered Sadie, her sandy blond hair billowing after her as she ran towards the terminal. "That's where the last portion is hidden."

"How do you know?" I panted as the three of us entered the plane just before the flight attendant shut the doors.

"I'll show you."

We pushed through the passengers, looking for some empty seats. Sadly, Southwest Airlines didn't have assigned seating, but our choices for airlines were limited. This was the only flight from Cairo to New York that we could book at such short notice.

Finally, I spotted three seats in a row on the left. "Bingo!"

Before I could even sit down, Sadie shoved me aside and leaped into the first seat. "I call the window!"

Rolling my eyes, I sat down next to Sadie. Zia took the seat nearest the isle, and much to my delight, next to me. Even if the world was ending and I was sitting next to my sister, Zia's presence made it a lot more enjoyable.

"Sadie, the explanation?" I reminded her as she stared wide-eyed out the glass, revealing a dozen or so airplanes and a clear, blue sky. In seconds she snapped out of her trance and unzipped her backpack, revealed the Book of Ra.

Next to us, two priests in blank robes gaped at Sadie. How they stood the heat in those things, I wasn't sure, but their reaction was enough to remind me that we weren't alone on this flight. We had to be careful, or the passengers might think we're insane. The last thing I needed was to be trapped in a straightjacket as the world ended.

Sadie, who must have also come to this conclusion, lowered her voice as the plane soared upward. "The last page of the second portion had the same clues as the first. I looked at it while Carter bought his coffee."

"What exactly did it say?" Zia questioned, studying the Book warily.

"Just this: 'Hidden within the key to The Death are the pages you desire.'"

Well, that didn't sound good. As if on cue, the plane began to rock violently from side to side. The priests in the isle closest to Zia gripped their crosses.

"What's 'The Death,' and why are 't' and 'd' capitalized?" I questioned, trying not to look out the window. Just the thought of being trapped in the air this high made me uneasy. If there were demons on this flight, we'd have no way of escaping. Zia must have been thinking the same thing, because she was gripping her armrest and eyeing the passengers suspiciously as they passed.

"The Death must refer to the end of something powerful or important," she decided. "And since we're trying to kill Apophis, the most powerful being on this planet next to Ra himself, I assume it's referring to _his_ death."

"Makes sense," I admitted, "but how does that help us? I thought the key to his death was the Book of Ra. If the portion is hidden in there, why haven't we seen it?"

Zia's eyes lit up as the plane began to experience some more turbulence. Rocking slightly from side to side, the passengers paid no attention to us.

"Because the Book isn't the key," she whispered. "Sure, it explains the ritual to trap Apophis, but it won't actually kill him. There's another book that explains how to _kill_ Apophis. There are only three copies in existence, but I remember reading about it in training. Only that book tells the reader how to slay the serpent, but it's been labeled as useless over the years."

"Why?" Sadie and I asked in unison.

The woman in front of me lifted her pink sleeping mask to glare at us. After she turned around, Zia continued.

"Because it's never worked. Only one section tells you how to kill the snake, and the rest is jibberish. Even the Egyptians couldn't translate it. No matter how much a god follows its instructions, they still can't kill the Serpent. That's why the gods haven't been able to kill Apophis for eons. They knew how to kill it, but they didn't realize that they also needed the ritual from the Book of Ra. And since we have the Book—"

"—we need one of those copies. The key," I finished, trying to push away the feelings of doubt that were creeping into my mind.

"But if it's the key," Sadie began, opening a wad of gum, "then why is there more than one?"

"Well, Mom and Dad always told me to have a spare key," I explained, remembering the Spiderman keychain with my house key attached that I used to carry around until I was eight. "Maybe Ra had the same idea."

"Point taken," Sadie muttered, obviously annoyed that she hadn't thought of that before. "But where exactly are these books? They could be anywhere!"

"Not just anywhere," Zia murmured, glaring at Sadie as she chewed her gum with her mouth open; a habit she'd gotten from our mother. Then she turned to face me and said, "Think hard Carter; you've seen it before."

My ears popped, and I instantly regretted not taking Sadie's bubblegum. Clearing my mind, I tried to figure out what Zia meant. I had seen it before? _Where?_

An image of a scroll clouded my vision. Suddenly, I was in the middle of the library inside the 21st Nome. On the far wall, there were a dozen or so cubbyholes, each containing plastic cylinders were the scrolls were stored. My vision focused on one old scroll, written in English and hieroglyphics. I didn't even need to read the title to know what it said.

"That book," I whispered, the truth dawning on me. "The one we saw our first day at the 21st Nome. That's the book that explains how to slay the serpent."

"_The Book of Slaying Apophis_," Sadie murmured, her blue eyes widening. "So if the second portion's clue is correct—"

"—then the last part of the Book of Ra was within our grasp all this time," Zia concluded. "It's hidden inside the book on how to defeat Apophis—the key to his death—stored in the library of the 21st Nome."

Before Zia could say any more, Sadie said, "Which, dear brother, is why we're traveling to Brooklyn. Any questions?"

I rolled my eyes at her as she beamed, as if she'd come up with that conclusion all on her own. Only now, I had more problems than just an annoying little sister.

"Yeah," I muttered, trying to glare at Sadie as the plane rocked back and forth. I had never been a good glarer in the first place, so I got the opposite affect from Sadie, who started laughing at my "ridiculous expression." I instantly regretted it as dozens of annoyed passengers shot death glares in our direction. So much for laying low.

Eager to shut Sadie up, I tried a more physical approach by pinching her. Before she could comment, I said, "Once we get this book and find the third portion inside, how exactly are we going to find Apophis? We don't even know where he's rising—"

"Alexandria," Sadie interjected, not looking away from the window. "The battle will be in Alexandria."

"And you know this because...?" I prodded, raising an eyebrow curiously as Zia gripped her armrest even harder.

"Isis," my sister replied simply, tearing her gaze from the glass to face us. "Are you done, or are we still playing Twenty Questions?"

Her body language made it clear that she didn't want to talk about it, so I decided to let it drop. Next to us, the priests were still gripping their rosary beads and praying as the plane jerked sideways again. Little did they know that the real danger wasn't the plane, but Chaos itself, and that the end of the world was less than twenty-four hours away.

*::*::*

We arrived in Brooklyn eleven hours later in the middle of a thunder storm. We were lucky to land due to the weather, and had been circling the city for over an hour until the sky cleared. The moment the plane touched the ground, the lightning and thunder started again, illuminating the sky with sparks of electricity. Luckily, we didn't have any bags, because the rest of the passengers had to wait inside until the storm let up so the workers could retrieve theirs from the plane. They were still huddled by the conveyor belt when we left, all muttering about the odd weather. I couldn't blame them, but unlike the others, I knew what was causing the storm, and it was a whole lot worse than lost luggage.

After hitching a ride to the 21st Nome, the storm began to disappear. Water sprayed across the windows of the taxi, distorting my view of the city and causing it to look like a black and grey water color painting.

No one spoke for the entire ride. The closer we got to Amos' mansion, the greater the suspense became. Sadie's blue eyes were wide with worry, while Zia's, as usual, were narrowed in concentration, probably planning out our next move. For the hundredth time since our quest began, I thanked the gods for Zia. Sadie and I would have been completely lost if it hadn't been for her. At least one of us were prepared for the unexpected.

Finally, the 21st Nome came into view. After paying the short, overweight driver, we stepped out into the rain, directly into an enormous puddle. The torrential downpour had lessened into a light shower, but the sky was still a dark grey. A sickening realization came over me as I stared into the darkened sky. The odds were that I'd never see the sun again if the rain kept up, which, deep down, I knew it would. The world was about to end in twenty four hours. I'd probably die, and the dark, gloomy sky would be the last thing I ever see.

With that happy thought still fresh in my mind, I followed Sadie and Zia to the door, all of us aware of what was at stake.

What if the book wasn't there? What if someone had stolen it?

_No, _I thought, pushing the feelings of doubt aside. _We _will _find this book. We have to. _

Despite my wishful thinking, I still felt like I would die of nervousness if we didn't find the final pages soon. Before either of us stepped foot onto the threshold, I gathered all the strength I could muster and lifted the doors of the 21st Nome, just long enough for the three of us to scramble inside. The moment we were out of the rain, Zia, Sadie, and I sprinted across down the hallway, our wet shoes slipping, squeaking, and sliding on the marble floor as we went. Even as I ran, I could feel the eyes of Thoth's statue following us. In fact, all the gods were probably watching. The fate of the world rested on this book, and, in a way, on the three of us.

Finally, we reached the wooden doors to the library. As usual, they were locked.

"Ha-di!" Sadie shouted, and instantly, the lock exploded into a million pieces. Luckily, Sadie had learned to control her strength, so the force of the spell wasn't strong enough to throw me across the room. I silently thanked the gods, because I definitely didn't need a repeat of _that._

The three of us rushed into the room and headed straight for the left wall. Sadie took the lead and approached the shelves of scrolls and books. Hands shaking, she reached for the shelf and scanned the titles.

My breath caught as Sadie pulled out an ancient looking scroll and examined its cover. I could hardly stand still as the suspense became greater and greater. The fate of humanity rested on this scroll. If it wasn't here, we wouldn't have time to scour the world for the other two copies. There were no second chances. Everything we've done would have been for nothing.

Sadie's frown instantly changed into a broad, toothy grin. "This is it," she announced, her voice wavering slightly. She ran her hand along the papyrus affectionately.

Zia and I breathed a sigh of relief as Sadie proudly lifted the scroll into the air. "_The Book of Slaying Apophis._"

"Thank Ra," Zia murmured, her expression relaxing as Sadie opened the scroll.

Intrigued by the words, Sadie skimmed the pages as Zia and I watched her with worried eyes.

"Does it…?" I couldn't bring myself to finish the dreaded question: _Does it contain the final part?_ If it didn't, the scroll wouldn't matter. The world would still fall, and Apophis would win. If the final part wasn't there, I wouldn't know where to look. All would be lost.

Sadie pulled out the entire scroll and examined the ending, her eyes working overtime. Finally, after a few of the longest seconds I've ever experienced, her blue eyes lit up. "Ah ha!" she exclaimed, holding up the papyrus for the rest of us to see.

"Huh?" The final pages weren't covered in golden hieroglyphics as I had expected. Instead, they contained nothing but a bunch of random symbols, all written in faded, black ink.

"There's nothing there," I pointed out. "Even _I _can tell it's nothing but jibberish. Where's the third portion?"

My hopes slowly began to disappear as Zia's eyes became dark with sadness. We had lost.

As if in a trance, Sadie's quaking hand grasped the worthless scroll and ripped off the papyrus covered in useless, illegible symbols.

Before Zia or I could comment (or scream, since the scroll was obviously thousands of years old) Sadie placed the ripped out pages inside the Book of Ra. Almost instantly, the Book began to glow, and the inscriptions on the paper began to change. The jibberish morphed into readable hieroglyphics, and the papyrus pages attached themselves to the Book's binding. All of the hieroglyphics began to shine as if they were written in liquid gold.

All three of us gasped as we stared wide-eyed at the display before us. I could feel the power radiating off the pages; more power than I had ever felt before.

It was complete. We had discovered the final pages to the Book of Ra.

*::*::*

**New story alert! Well, two new stories. I just started a Lorien Legacies fanfic, which is basically a sequel to I Am Number Four (and yes, it was a movie, but I personally liked the book better...) I am also about to create a new Kane Chronicles story, which I told a few of you about and got a lot of positive feedback. Therefore, I'm gonna give it a try :D It'll be a lot different from the stories I'm used to, but hey, it's Kane Chronicles related, so it can't be too hard, right? Don't answer that...**

**So stay tuned for my next KC fic, coming soon to computers near you. ;) It should please all of you, Sanubis and Zarter fans alike, so I hope you'll enjoy it! It'll probably be up on Monday or Tuesday, since I have my little sister's party today and I'm on vacation (with no computer) until Monday morning. Okay, I'm done now. Adios, and please don't forget to review (it makes me update faster) and have a great day because it's FRRIDAY folks! You "gotta get down on Friday!" (LOL, that song cracks me up every time...) For all you people who have no idea what I'm saying, I'm basically being a loser and quoting from the lyrics of "Friday" by Rebecca Black. Did you guys realize it was taken down from YouTube? My day is ruined! :'( Just kidding...I'm not that weird. Though it is a catchy tune...k, bye.**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	24. Chapter 24

**Hello. Sorry I couldn't update. ****I was going to upload that new story of mine last week, but I realized that the first chapter gave away the ending to _this_ story, so I have to wait until I finish this one to upload _that_ one. Oh well. **I've had a large portion of this chapter since September, but I couldn't post it until the story got to this point…so yeah. I also added a lot (longest chapter ever!) since I took so long updating. Consider this as a Fourth of July gift to you all :)

**Thanks to __****Teton97** for the male character description and name! The female character will come in later chapters, as well as my next story, which will be coming soon. Thanks again to everyone who entered and enjoy! 

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So, we'd found the last pages to the Book of Ra. The search was finally over, and we were home. Unfortunately, our work was far from done. We still needed to find Ra and convince the gods and magicians to work together, which is basically like telling a cat and dog to get along, only these pets could actually murder each other with flaming staffs and wands. The odds weren't looking too good, and we had only hours to do it. We couldn't catch a break.

Amos and the other magicians had found us, and in moments we were surrounded with questions and a crowd of frightened, nervous kids. Mind racing, I tried to answer all of them, but even I have my limits.

"Where've you all been?" one boy questioned, trying to get a better look at us.

My answer: Where _haven't_ we been?

"Did you bring me a souvenir?" a little girl with golden curls asked, squeezing her way through the crowd.

Sadie, who wasn't at all fazed by the girl's puppy dog eyes, answered, "If we did, you'd be nothing but a pile of ash right now."

That shut her up.

"Did you die?" a younger boy wondered.

Sadie threw her arms in the air, exasperated. "Do we _look_ dead to you? Now shut up or you'll be the one dead. I haven't gotten a wink of sleep and had to follow my brother around the world for the past few days, which isn't a piece of cake. Not to mention I was trapped in a broom closet and turned three guys in donkeys. Now, unless anyone wants to be eating hay for the rest of their lives, you all better give me some space and _shut up!_"

Yeah, I learned a long time ago not to mess with a sleep deprived Sadie Kane. By the horrified expressions on their faces, I'm guessing the trainees learned that lesson as well.

"What about her?" Matt, a fifteen year old trainee, asked, his light brown hair messy from just waking up. An uneasy feeling washed over me as his brown eyes studied Zia with interest. I'd had to break up numerous meetings with Matt and a "girlfriend" of his in the past, and it wasn't a memory I wanted a repeat of.

Clearing my throat, I replied, "Everyone, this is Zia Rashid, who is one of the main reasons you're all alive today. She also helped save our lives on our recent quest for the Book of Ra. I'm sure you'll all make her feel welcome."

I glanced at the crowd around me, giving them a look that clearly meant that they didn't have a choice. It didn't matter though, because for the most part, they were a group of hardworking, polite kids. Still, there were a couple of exceptions, like Matt. Then again, he'd never done anything wrong; just paid more attention to girl's than combat training. I hadn't really minded then, but this time, he had his eyes on Zia, and for some reason, that made all the difference.

"Oh, we will," Matt answered, flashing a flirtatious grin in Zia's direction. Zia, thankfully, was too overwhelmed by the mob of children to notice.

I almost sighed with relief when Amos came and broke it up. "Everyone back to their rooms. Immediately."

No one needed further instructions. It was still early, after all, and they'd been training all day. In seconds, the room cleared out, except for a few stragglers who were sluggishly walking back to their rooms like mummies.

"Welcome back," my uncle said brusquely, studying us. "Things have gotten out of control since you've left."

"Tell me about it," Sadie muttered, still in a bad mood.

Amos, noticing this, wasted no time. "Walk with me," he ordered, getting down to business. "You have a lot of explaining to do."

As we made our way to Amos' new study, we explained the recent events on our quest for the Book, leaving out little. Amos listened silently and never interrupted, but I sensed his shock and possibly a hint of fear in his dark eyes. Once we'd finished, he launched into a lengthy explanation of what had happened since our "unexpected departure," as he put it.

Apparently he'd been getting urgent messages from the other Nomes around the world, including a death threat from Desjardins and his army, which, unfortunately, wasn't a surprise.

"Will he attack us?" Sadie asked as we passed through the wooden doors into Amos' room. "We wouldn't stand a chance!"

"No," my uncle answered, sitting down in one of his black leather chairs next to his rows of bookshelves. "Desjardins isn't a fool. He's going to Alexandria, like everyone else."

As Amos spoke, I noticed Sadie flinch. The room was modern, I realized, with its marble floor and the high-tech appliances in his small kitchen. It was just like the one she had described in her vision with Khonsu and the demon, right before he sped up time and destroyed the moon god.

A fire roared inside Amos' grand fireplace, obscuring Amos' features in shadows. For a long moment, the only sounds that could be heard was the crackling of the fire and our breathing. Finally, I spoke up, desperate to change the subject for Sadie's sake.

"How do they know about Alexandria? Sadie only just found out-"

"The Nomes have other ways to obtain knowledge," Amos answered. "After time was altered, many turned to the gods for the answer, despite the fact that summoning one of them is a serious crime. Eventually, they learned that the Serpent was to rise in Alexandria."

"And that's where they're headed?" Zia asked. "Right now?"

"Precisely," Amos replied. "Though a couple of them will won't join with Desjardins' army once they get there. They have always been close allies of mine, despite our differences. I've also managed to convince a few others, but I can't speak for the remaining Nomes. They'll likely chose the side that has the greatest chance of winning. Right now, that side seems to be Desjardins'."

"But that's ridiculous!" Sadie exclaimed, almost knocking over an ancient vase with her flailing arm. "We're all on the same side, and yet you make it sound like we're all enemies!"

"True, we all are traveling to Alexandria to defeat Apophis," Amos answered, sipping a cup of tea that suddenly appeared on the table beside him. "But that doesn't mean they're not willing to destroy each other in the process."

"I don't get it," I muttered. "Why would they attack us? We're only trying to help!"

"Because we want assistance from the gods, Carter," my uncle explained. "And that, in the eyes of many, is treacherous. Dangerous. Unnatural. They'll want to put an end to it, once and for all. And what better time to do it when everyone who supports us are all together, on the same battlefield?"

"He's going to destroy everything if he attacks us!" Sadie shouted, obviously annoyed. "We need all the help we can get, and killing each other isn't going to get us any closer to defeating the Serpent."

"That's something you'll have to convince them of once we get there," Amos said, ending the conversation.

"When will that be?" I asked, eager to get moving. "Time's running out."

"Well, not now," Amos replied, looking out the window nervously. "The entire world has been thrown into chaos ever since the sky darkened unexpectedly. Some are claiming it's a solar eclipse. Others say we've gone through a worm hole. Needless to say, everyone is panicked. It's not safe to roam the streets, especially now."

The fears of the mortals were the least of our problems. According to Amos, every magician from the Nomes across the world were headed to Alexandria (apparently someone in Iceland got this information from some guy in Sweden, who heard it from an elderly lady in Japan, who had summoned one of the minor gods yesterday evening.) Some of them were on board with us and believed that the gods and magicians would have to work together to defeat the Serpent. Others were joining with Desjardins and his army, while a select few just went to kill the Serpent themselves, without any real strategy of their own. Somehow, Amos concluded this story in under a minute, hardly stopping for a breath in between.

"Well, that's good isn't it?" Sadie asked. "If they're all in one place, it'll be easier to convince them to join our cause."

"True, but you're argument isn't convincing enough," Amos argued, setting his cup down. "You have no proof, and not a lot of support."

"But look what just a simple change in time did to the others?" Sadie said, referring to the Nomes who had recently joined us. "They agreed, and we didn't even have to do anything!"

"They joined you out of fear," Amos answered, his expression grave. "They didn't know what was happening, and are scared to death of Apophis. They could have gone with Desjardins if they wanted, but many owe me for some—er—favors I did for them in the past. We need Ra, and we need him _now_. If he believed that the gods and magicians should team up, then everyone would believe him. Even Desjardins army would join us. No one would go against the sun god, not even Michel. As for the gods, well, if Ra gives orders, they'll obey them. It's the only way we'll defeat Apophis."

"But we have no idea where to find him," I pointed out. "He might not even be alive!"

"Oh, he's alive all right," Amos murmured, staring at the New York skyline with worried eyes. "We'd know if he was dead."

I was about to question this, but by the look on Amos' face, I figured it was better not to ask. "All we can hope is that we'll find him on our way to Alexandria. We can't afford to go searching for him, now that the end is upon us. You need your strength, and the rest of us need to prepare. It's up to us now."

Once he had finished his cup of coffee, he immediately sent us straight to bed, as if we hadn't just been discussing the end of the world.

"_What?_ We can't sleep!" protested Zia as Amos escorted us to the door. "The world's going to end in a couple of hours!"

"Eighteen to be exact," Uncle Amos said, glancing uneasily at his expensive-looking watch. "The other magicians won't be in Alexandria for a couple of hours. The trainees still need to get ready, so we'll be heading out just before dawn. In the meantime, you three get some rest. When you wake, we'll board the reed boat and travel to Alexandria."

"But we can't use the Duat," I argued. "It's too dangerous!"

"That's just a risk we'll have to take," he replied gravely, his expression darkening. "Besides, our chances of finding Ra would be better inside the Duat."

I could tell this was wishful thinking on his part, but I decided not to point that out. Since odds were against us, I wanted to believe that too.

"Now, get some sleep. You'll need to be at your best in the morning."

We didn't need any further explaining. Before I knew it, I was back on my warm, soft bed, just like old times. Only, despite my exhaustion, it still took me a long time to fall asleep. Unfortunately though, once sleep finally took the better of me, it wasn't pleasant.

Instead of actually sleeping like any other normal person, I felt my _ba_ leave my body and float, higher and higher until I thought I'd be flying upward forever. Finally, I reached a golden door, just floating there in the middle of the darkened sky. Hands shaking in spite of myself, I turned the glowing handle with a bad feeling that I knew who was just beyond the entrance.

And I didn't like it.

*::*::*

The corridors were made out of solid gold. In a daze, I followed the weaving labyrinth of gilded walkways until it opened into an enormous chamber, where dozens of priceless chandlers glistened in the bright sunlight that sifted through the huge, clear windows. The marble floor was completely empty, except for a large, golden throne in the center of a circular dais. It's back was facing me, and for a moment, I thought I was alone. That is, until I heard someone mumbling to themselves on the other side of the chair.

I couldn't make out what they were saying, partly because most of it made no sense, and partly because the person kept switching languages before I could decipher what they were saying. The voice was masculine, deep and raspy, as if the man hadn't spoken for thousands of years. When I finally reached the throne and peered around the gold frame, I realized that that was exactly the case.

Before me sat an ancient man in a long, white toga splotched with coffee stains. The god, thin and wrinkled, was surrounded by what looked like bags upon bags of Cheetos and cups of Dunkin Donuts coffee. His hands, wrinkled and calloused from years of fighting, twitched towards the newspaper as he scanned the puzzle with his dark eyes, almost completely black eyes. Slouching in his throne as if it were a La-Z-Boy recliner, he fiddled with a ballpoint pen as he tried to fill out a crossword, mumbling something incoherent as he did so. Once he filled one of the spaces in, he tried to smile, but his features were marred with a grimace that seemed to be permanently etched on his pale face, as if he was in constant pain. Piled beside him were row after row of newspapers, most of them containing Sudoku, some more crosswords, and the "Funny Pages," as my dad used to refer to them.

I don't know how I didn't see them before: there were thousands of them. The entire northern part of the chamber was blanketed in newspapers, cartons of Dunkin Donuts coffee, and what suspiciously looked like piles of Hallmark cards with a few scattered bags of cheetos. Some of the newspapers were issued this year, while others dated as far back as the 1600s. As for the coffee, well, judging from the smell of the chamber, I had a feeling that some of them were pretty old as well. Some newspapers looked even older from what I could see, but before I could approach them, the ancient man spoke.

"Why hello there," he greeted. "What brings you to my humble dwelling?"

"Th-this is yours?" I stammered, approaching the old man with caution.

"Why, yes. This is my kingdom. At least, I think it is." His golden eyes narrowed, as if he was trying to remember whether or not he owned the place. Then, after staring at nothing for a few moments, he glanced up at me and asked, "Is it?"

"Uh…yes?" I answered, wondering why he asked.

"Yes what?"

Confused, I replied, "Yes this is your kingdom?"

"I already know that, silly boy," he scolded, waving a bony finger back and forth. "Why are you here?"

"Uh…you brought me here, I think."

"I did?" he asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

"Yeah."

"…Huh. I don't remember," he murmured. Then he looked at me as if just realizing I was still there and asked, "What's your name, sonny boy?"

"Um, Carter Kane," I answered. "And you are…?"

"I'm Ra. Or, at least, I think I am…" He stared into space again, as if the air somehow held his identity. Finally, he averted his gaze and settled it on me.

"What did you say you're name was again?"

"Carter," I replied, my hopes already fading. This couldn't be the Ra, the king of the gods, the guy who had the fate of the world resting on his shoulders. Heck, he probably couldn't even hold a backpack over those bony shoulders, let alone the planet. How would we convince the others now?

"Well, greetings, Cart," Ra said, oblivious to my pessimistic thoughts. "Can I call you Cart?"

"No."

"Alrighty, Cart. Maybe you can help me." Ra motioned to the wrinkled newspaper in his hands, obviously annoyed. "I'm trying to complete a crossword, and I can't seem to find thirty one down…"

Well, that was unexpected. I thought he'd need me to perform some amazing task, like making the sun rise or something. Not that I could have done that anyway, but it seemed like a godly thing he'd do, since he was the all powerful sun god and all.

Suddenly, an idea came to mind. "Um…if I help you, will you help me out?"

"Ah, of course, lad," Ra answered, not looking up from his coffee stained crossword. "One hand washes the other, as they say."

"…Okay?" I answered, not quite sure how to respond. "What's the question?"

"A three letter word for—_Comment tu dis?_—'on fire.' Wait…wait a second…it's at the tip of my tongue…"

Or at least that's what I think he said. After he asked the question, he grabbed hold of his tongue and continued talking, so it sounded more like, "Whay..whay a secon'…ahh the tieh of mi tongue…"

"I've got it!" he yelled suddenly, releasing his tongue and throwing his pen through the air. Then he looked me right in the eye and shouted, "_You!_"

"_What?_" I exclaimed, horrified at his outburst.

"You!" Ra said, his voice giddy. "A three letter word for 'on fire' is _you!_"

"_Excuse _me?" I asked, hoping I'd heard wrong. This day was getting worse than I thought.

"Oh, no, Cart. I didn't mean _you_, you," he explained, as if that was obvious. "I meant the saying! In that Hallmark card, you know the one with the old man who's doing the crossword? He asks his old mortal wife that same question, and you know what she says in return?" **(A/N That's a real card by the way. I don't own anything)**

"Let me guess: you?" I murmured, eyeing him warily.

"You!" he exclaimed, as if he didn't hear me. Then he burst into hysterical laughter, dropping the newspaper and spilling his black coffee. I was about to try to get his attention when something occurred to me: Ra's been up here, alone, for thousands of years; solving millions of crosswords, drinking gallon after gallon of bitter Dunkin Donuts coffee, and reading corny Hallmark cards. No wonder why he's gone insane. How much had this ancient god gone through all these decades? Would I end up any different if I lost everything he had and been exiled from the only home I'd ever known?

Finally, after about a minute of uproarious laughter, Ra went back to normal (or as normal as he was before.) "Some sort of Valentine's day card with a touch of humor," he explained, still clutching his stomach. "Released in, oh, January 2007 I believe. You seen it?"

"I can't say I have, uh, sir." I don't know why I called him sir, but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time, since he was still technically the king of the gods, despite his condition. Well, he certainly didn't look it, but I figured if I was gonna get any help from this guy, I might as well be polite.

"Shame," Ra said, giving me a look of pure pity. "It was quite a card."

"I believe it."

"Well, you best be off," he stated, motioning to the corridor I'd come from. "I'd hurry, before Sally starts the spell."

"Why do I—" I paused, letting his words sink in. "Wait, did you mean Sadie? As in Sadie Kane, my sister?"

"You have a sister?" Ra asked. "Wonderful! What's her name?"

"Sadie!"

"Hm, peculiar name for a girl," Ra observed, unaware of my growing irritation. "I always preferred 'Isdes' or 'Heqet.' As for your Sally—"

"Sadie! Sa-die!" Annoyed, I slowly pronounced the syllables so he'd get it right: first "say," then "de."

"Sadie," I finished.

"Sadie."

I sighed with relief. "Thank goodness."

Ra shrugged, as if all of this was normal. "Well, that was fun. Anyway, Sally will—"

"Oh my _gods!_" I shouted, unable to contain my fury. The world was about to end, and I was stuck with an insane god who couldn't even remember my sister's name, let alone his own. We were doomed.

"I know!" Ra shouted with glee, clapping his hands in delight. "Captivating, isn't it? And I don't even remember finishing my sentence! Fascinating."

"Ra," I murmured, trying to keep my cool. "You didn't."

"I didn't? Well, then, why didn't you say so!"

He waited, and after a few long seconds, I realized he wanted me to answer.

"Uh…I did say so, sir. Just now."

Ra simply stared at me, like I'd said something profound. "_Fascinating._"

I stood in silence for a few agonizing moments, waiting for him to explain what would happen to Sadie. Instead, he remained as silent as I was with a stupid grin on his face. It took me all of five seconds to realize he was waiting for me to say something, not the other way around.

"…Will you tell me now?" I tried, knowing full well that he wouldn't.

The smile vanished. He tilted his head to the side, curious. "Tell you what?"

"What Sadie—" I rolled my eyes at his vacant expression. "—I mean, _Sally—_is going to do?"

"What is she going to do?" Ra asked, leaning forward on his throne, engrossed in our conversation as if I was telling a horror story and had reached the suspenseful climax.

"…Whatever you were going say she was going to do," I answered, despite how hopeless it all was.

"I thought I didn't say anything," he replied, sounding genuinely puzzled.

"But you were _going_ to," I replied, my patience disappearing as rapidly as the cheetos on Ra's lap. He was worse than Khufu, licking his bony fingers to get every last bit of the artificial cheese.

"I was?" he asked, paying more attention to his crossword than me.

"You were."

Ra raised a hand to his chin, as if he was deep in thought. Then, just as I thought he'd make a long, inspirational speech that could save the world, he raised a wrinkled finger in the air and said, "_Fascinating_."

My mouth fell open. I just couldn't believe it. I wasn't getting anywhere with the god. Obviously this was some kind of test. It _had_ to be. To test my patience perhaps? Level of sanity? Well, I certainly won't be sane for long—

"You're only sane, Cart," Ra whispered, looking over his crossword at me, "if you can admit that you're not."

I'm sure that was meant to be deep somehow, but I just didn't get it. "…What?"

"Want me to repeat it?" he questioned, not noticing my confusion.

"No!" I shouted. "What I meant was that that didn't make any sense at all. Like, _at all._"

Ra raised an eyebrow. "Who are you to decide if something makes sense?"

He had me there. "Um..."

"Exactly. It can make sense when it wants to make sense. Just like birds can sing when they want to sing without anyone to tell them, 'No birds, don't sing! That doesn't make sense!'"

...This didn't make any sense.

"Wait a sec," I said, raising my hands into the air in a "stop" gesture before he could continue. "What do birds have to do with anything making sense?"

Ra pondered on that. "You're absolutely right. That doesn't make any sense."

"But you just said—"

"I did?" Ra asked. "When?"

"The birds—" I began, motioning towards the ceiling in a hopeless gesture.

"Birds? Where? Oh dear me, get my journal! I have all my bird observations in there. Or, at least, I think I do." He looked at me expectantly. "Do I?"

"I don't know!" I yelled in frustration, my voice echoing off the golden walls.

"Huh. Me either," he said in a dismissing tone. Then he plopped back down on his throne and went back to his crossword. After about thirty seconds of me just standing there gaping at him, he looked up. "Oh, hello. Why are you here again?"

"I-I-_arghh!_" I threw my hands in the air in defeat and annoyance. Why _was_ I here? Why did I even think this would work? This guy was loony, insane, off his rocker. He wasn't going to help me. I was just wasting my time, time I didn't have. The world was about to end; it wasn't going to wait for me, and it certainly wasn't going to wait for Ra. This was ludicrous.

I should have walked away. I wanted to, but I just couldn't. We'd come all this way, and I wasn't going to let everyone down. We needed Ra. The fate of the human race depended on it. The entire _planet_ depended on it.

I suddenly wished Zia was here. She wouldn't have lost her cool. Only she wasn't, and I was. I needed to make this work; for all of us_._

"Listen, Ra," I growled, taking a step towards the sun god. "I know this may be a shocker to you, but the world's about to end. The _world; home_ to, like, _billions _of innocent people. And sure, you may not be affected in your levitating, secluded bubble in the deepest corner of the Duat, but _we_ will. The world will perish, Ra. Everyone-will-DIE. Die, dead, _gone._ The Serpent will overthrow the magicians, the gods, _everything_ if he escapes. We _have_ to stop it. _You_ have to stop it."

He looked like he wanted to say something, but I wasn't through.

"Who am I, Ra? I am just a kid, just a_ kid_ whose trying to save a planet that already has its days numbered. I've searched all over to find the remains of _your_ stupid spell book, while my own sister slowly loses her power and magicians try to capture me everywhere I go. Who am I, Ra? I'm a magician who's fighting a losing battle. A magician who, like others, had faith in you. Are you going to let them down, like you did all those souls in the Land of the Dead who are _still_ waiting for you and your sun chariot? Because those people have been waiting eons in the dark for you. Well, your time is up, Ra." I paused, not for dramatic affect, but to gather my own thoughts that were spilling out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"We don't have eons. We don't even have days; we have _hours._ Just _hours_ to save the world as we know it. We need you, Ra. We can't do it without you. Only _you_ can get the magicians and gods to work together, and only_ you_ can save the planet from total chaos." I took a deep breath, knowing full well that he wouldn't understand.

"Does that answer your question, Ra?" I whispered.

"Yes," Ra murmured in a defeated tone. "Yes, I believe it does, Carter."

Before I could rejoice that he had actually called me _Carter_, he continued.

"I apologize. I've…I've just been alone for so long…so _long…_I guess I have gone a little—how'd you put it?—off my rocker.

"But I do know about the serpent, Apophis, and your situation," he continued. "I have for some time now, and I'm sorry to say that they're just isn't anything I can do. I'm powerless, can't you see? Overthrown so easily, so quickly; _helpless._ I am nothing, Carter. Not anymore. I cannot help you."

Stunned, I tried to argue that he wasn't powerless, that he wasn't a nothing, but no words came. How could I say that to someone whose lost so much? Someone who has been berating himself for things he couldn't change, who'd been exiled for centuries, and who'd gone slowly insane? What _could_ I say?

I tried anyway. Taking a deep breath, I replied, "Ra, you aren't powerless. You may have lost your kingdom, your family, your friends, even your deepest secrets, but you _can't _give up hope. What about all those magicians and gods down on Earth? And what about those lost souls, Ra? They still wait for you, and _they _haven't given up hope. And, gods, they're _dead,_ dead as a _doornail._ You're still _alive._ You still have a chance to make things right. You can't let them down, Ra. Not again. And you can't let those billions of people back on Earth down, either." I sighed, hoping he'd understand the seriousness of the situation.

"They need you," I concluded. "We all do."

Ra made a hopeless sound that sounded a lot like a sob. "I can't, son. Don't you think I wish I could? Don't you think that I _want _to leave this place? That I wake up every morning wanting nothing more to escape, to go back to the way things were? You don't know what it's like. The pain, the loneliness, none of it! I am _dying_, Carter. I can't even ignite a spark anymore." He laughed bitterly as a single tear rolled down his wrinkled face. "Hear that, son? An all powerful _sun_ god can't even summon a _light_."

"Ra…" I began, trying to comfort someone in a situation that had no hope of getting better.

"You're right, Carter," Ra sniffled. "My time is up. I don't have eons _or _days. I have hours, just like this planet. I may be immortal, but I have been poisoned. I can't last forever, nothing can. When my creation rises, I will die along with everyone else. Chaos will tip the balance, and myself, along with Order, will disappear. There is no hope, Carter. It's over."

"But there's got to be something!" I pleaded. "We can't give up now! You may not be able to ignite a spark, but you're still Ra, right? You're still the sun god. You may be dying, but you aren't dead yet. Wouldn't you rather die trying than die without ever trying at all?" I thought of everyone I loved: Sadie, Amos, Bast, the trainees, even Zia. Their lives were at stake, and it was all up to me to save them. "Please, Ra. I need you to think. Are we already buried so deep that there is no chance of seeing the light again?"

Ra thought for a long, suspenseful moment. For a second, I thought I lost him and that he was back to his usual, insane self, but then his eyes lit up. Then, ever so slowly, the ends of his lips twitched into a smile.

"Yes, Carter. I do believe there is _something_. Something I thought I had forgotten."

A flicker of hope sparked inside me. "What?"

"My throne," he said, motioning to the fiery throne in the center of the room. "I cannot leave here, Carter. I can't go with you, but my _throne_ can."

"How will that help me?" I asked, wondering how I'd ever be able to lift it, let alone use it as a weapon.

"In the old days, I used to journey into the Duat on my throne. As you know, the light provided hope and happiness to the dead whenever I passed by. Only I can ride my throne, Carter, unless…"

Ra studied me for a long moment, as if he was summing me up. Somehow, I felt like he was reading my soul, wondering if I was worthy enough to do whatever insane thing he was about to suggest. Finally, seeming satisfied, he concluded, "…unless I bestow the power…on you."

For a second I thought that the sand from all those Duat trips had finally affected my hearing. "_Me?_"

"I never allowed anyone on my throne. Ever," Ra explained, his dark eyes boring into mine. "But if I give you my permission, and if I have enough power, you might be able to use it without being incinerated."

"Um…" I began, not liking the sound of that.

"If I do give you my throne, the gods will know I'm through," Ra clarified. "This is the only symbol of my reign I have left. Once I give it up, they'll know their old ruler will never return. But they'll also know I still exist, and that I gave you the power to finish what I could never complete. My loyal subjects, if they still consider themselves as such, will listen to you if I give you and your sister my blessing."

It sounded good to me, but I still had my doubts. Before I could say so however, Ra motioned to his throne, a hint of sadness in his brown eyes. "This throne is a symbol of my strength, Carter; of my glory, and of me. If you ride through the Duat—the route I took for a millennia—the gods will notice. They'll see that you are worthy, and then they will listen. You'll tell them that I want them—_need_ them— to work together. Use the Feather of Truth if you think it will help them believe. Then they'll assist you. Tell them what you told me, Carter, and you'll be fine. From the looks of it, you don't need my help. Just take the throne, make the journey, and the world may have a chance of surviving."

I gulped. "Listen, I appreciate you giving me your all-powerful throne and everything, but that trip through the Duat…well, didn't you have to fight off a million demons each night just to get there? I mean, isn't the dangers you faced the main reason why no one wanted your throne? If the gods couldn't make that journey, how are _we?_"

When he raised an eyebrow, I added, "Me, my sister, and Zia."

"Ahh," Ra murmured knowingly. "They can come. You'll need them, Carter. But as the final hour dwells near, you'll have to face chaos on your own. Sadie has a different destiny, and will be needed elsewhere. As for Zia, she'll have her own decision to make when the time is right. Yet, on the final hour, only _you _can defeat the Serpent. You were a host of Horus, Carter. You have some of the strongest blood of the pharaohs I've ever seen, and are more powerful than you realize. You have the soul of a hero in you; a true warrior. This is your destiny."

I knew I should be flattered, but the idea of me going against Apophis, the Embodiment of Chaos, _alone_ didn't exactly make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. "On my _own?_ You mean…_I_ have to kill Apophis?"

"That's what I said, didn't I?"

The light in Ra's eyes started to fade. I was losing him. I didn't have much time, and neither did the planet.

"But I thought the gods and magicians had to work together to defeat the Serpent," I argued. "You said so yourself—"

"They do," Ra answered, a new set of wrinkles suddenly appearing on his face, as if our conversation exhausted him both mentally and physically. "Together, the gods and magicians will provide enough power to encase Apophis; the spell that you worked so hard to find. But the reason for encasing the Serpent is so a warrior can enter the prison and destroy it. That warrior, Carter, must be _you_."

"Ra…" I said, my voice no louder than a whisper. "I can't do it. Not on my own. I can't—"

"Are you afraid?" he asked suddenly, his head tilted to the side with interest.

I was about to reply that I ate snakes for breakfast, but to my surprise, the words died in my mouth. What was the point in lying? Ra was dying anyway.

"Yes," I answered, my voice defeated.

Ra smiled slightly. "I'd think you mad if you weren't. But you need faith in yourself, Carter, just as you had faith in me. Just remember that saving the world isn't a responsibility for one man. Everyone must aid the cause, or we will _all_ perish. Only you can destroy Chaos, but you don't have to face the end alone."

"I don't understand."

Ra shrugged. "Maybe you never will. Just remember what I said. Oh, and tell your girlfriend, Zia. She'll know the answer soon enough."

I decided to let the "girlfriend" comment go. "Zia?" A thousand questions came to mind at his words. "What does she—"

"Oh, and I almost forgot," Ra reached behind his throne, revealing a large, golden crook and flail that hadn't been there before. "Here. These are for you."

"Me?" I exclaimed. "But that's…"

"My crook and flail," Ra announced, a ghost of a smile flickering across his face once he saw my awed expression. "Yes, I know. Only these weapons can defeat Apophis. They're yours now. You have a larger role to play than you realize, Carter. Believe in yourself, as you did with me." His voice was fading, as well as the room around us. Even as he spoke, I could tell he was getting older; dying. Noticing my concerned expression, he simply smiled, but it didn't reach his dark eyes, which were filled with eons of sadness and loss.

"Save the world, Carter Kane," he said, his voice no louder than a whisper. "The fate of the world depends not on me, but on you."

"But Ra—" I began. Suddenly, the room disappeared, taking Ra with it. I was thrown into darkness, with nothing to grab on to but the powerful weapons I'd been given.

"Good luck, Cart!" he shouted through the darkness. "My coffee is getting cold, and my crossword is waiting. Don't forget what I said, or we may never have Cheetos again, and what a tragedy that would be!"

Then his voice faded completely, and everything went black. The last thing I remember is passing out, the crook and flail of the sun god still in my hands.

*::*::*

**Phew! That took a while to edit…**

**Well, please review guys. The more I get, the faster I update, which means the sooner I'll be finished with this story, which will result in the first chapter of my new KC story! ****ANYway, I've had this specific part written for a long time now, as I already explained, so for all you guys who'll be like "You copied the Throne of Fire!" that's actually false. I had this idea first, so there! ;) ********I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did!**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**

**P.S. Whose depressed about Harry Potter? I am, and I've never even read the books (but I'm planning to this summer...) Anybody going to the first show at midnight? I know I am! Long live HP! :D **


	25. Chapter 25

**Hello everyone. Sorry I couldn't update in a while—then again, what were you expecting? Me to be early for once in my life? **_**Please! **_**When pigs fly! (And no, the fact that they flew in Percy Jackson does not count.)**

** I'm not a sanubis fan by nature, but I wrote this for you guys because I'm practicing for my next fanfic, which will have some sanubis, as well as a great deal more…Well, enjoy! Sorry it's on the short side! :)**

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Yes, very interesting, Carter. While you were filling out crosswords and eating Cheetos, my _ba_ was dragged into the Land of the Dead only hours before Chaos was supposed to destroy the world. (Fun, I know.)

To be frank, the Duat was in, well, _chaos._ I found myself standing on a reed boat, weathered and slippery, that seemed to be navigating itself through the darkness. Alone and confused, I stood in the front of the boat, floating sluggishly down a purling, inky river in the middle of the night.

Demons and lost souls flew all around me, some with glowing, green eyes and others with nothing at all inside their purple, sulken sockets. Unfortunately, I have seen worse in my lifetime, so instead of screaming or running for my life, I simply stuck my tongue out at them. It didn't take long for them to realize that I was not to be meddled with, especially when I'm sleep deprived.

The air, thick and chilly, was full of the screeches, moans, and screams of the dead, giving the landscape a chilling, almost sinister look. Sibilant whispers could be heard in the distance, as if a chorus of snakes were talking at once. Something told me that was not a good sign. The Serpent's army was gathering, and we were almost out of time.

Well, if Apophis was the cause of all this, I had to give him some credit. The place really had the whole "spooky and evil" vibe; not that I was going to hire him to design my room of course, since it's already too dreary to begin with.

I silently prayed this boat wasn't headed towards any rapids or cliffs, because I couldn't even hear myself think above the din, let alone rushing water. For all I knew, I could have been inches from a massive waterfall and not even noticed— until I went falling to my death, that is.

Lucky for me, however, the reed boat came to a halt by a weathered, wooden dock, complete with missing boards, splinters of wood, and a downy coating of green and black mold. While I was trying to determine how strong the decaying wood actually was, a silver and gold form flickered on the pale sand just beyond the dock. In seconds, my mother appeared, her beautiful golden hair cascading down her sparkling white robes, and her baby blue eyes outlined perfectly in Egyptian kohl. She looked like a goddess, which, in a way, she was. A very beautiful, very dead goddess who just so happen to be my mother: Ruby Kane.

My stomach instantly twisted in knots at the sight of her—the women who fed me applesauce, taught me the stars, and read me to sleep with her astronomy books. Who held my hand when we crossed the street, made my lunch every day, and hugged me before and after school. Even when I was distressed, I always found solace in her arms. Only now, I couldn't hug her, let alone hold her hand. Even in the Land of the Dead, she seemed frail, as if she'd be swept away with the next gust of wind like the fog that enshrouded us like a grey cloak.

Finding my voice, I managed to say, "Mum?" before the next round of shrieks arose again. I was tempted to shout, "Shut UP!" at them, but the last thing I needed was a mob of angry demons after me. I wasn't sure if a_ ba_ could die here, since everything was a dream and all, but I did _not_ want to find out. Some risks just weren't worth taking, even for me (and that's saying something, since I've done some pretty hazardous stunts in my thirteen years of life.)

My mother smiled, flashing her spotless, white teeth that shown like a beacon compared to the rest of her faded, flickering form.

"Sadie, dear," she greeted, extending her ghostly hand to me, as if she were going to help me up onto the bus like she used to when I was small. "How has my little girl been all these months?"

It seemed odd, having a normal conversation like this with my dead mother, but what can I say? I'm a Kane. Unfortunately, an event like this wasn't out of the ordinary.

"Fine," I answered. "Considering that the world is about to end that is, and it's entirely our fault."

I must have sounded bitter (three guesses why), and although she'd been dead for nearly seven years, it didn't go unnoticed by my mother.

"And why is that, Sadie?" Mum asked, sounding genuinely puzzled. "Weren't you and Carter the ones who found the Book of Ra, including the Book of Slaying Apophis, all before the day the Serpent was supposed to rise—despite the loss of time, I may add—all on your own?"

When you put it like that, it did sound pretty impressive. Only we both knew Carter, Zia, and I had barely succeeded, almost killing ourselves in the process. Not to mention getting caught once—well, twice, if you counted Rome—and we were hardly the heroic, memorable type who never mess up and always emerge victorious in the end (In fact, all I emerged with from this quest were a few zits, torn clothes, and a bad case of insomnia.)

"Well, yeah," I agreed. "But we didn't find Ra, and I'm still not sure if we'll be able to convince the others. Gods, I'm not even sure if I can convince myself."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that," Mum replied, flashing me a knowing look. "Your brother seems to have everything under control."

"_Carter?_" I exclaimed, thinking I'd heard wrong. "He couldn't convince a baboon to stop throwing Cheerios into the pool, let alone an entire army of magicians. Besides, he can't even find his way out of a local Walmart. There's no way he could find an ancient king of the gods."

"Have some confidence, Sadie," my mother scolded. "It's time you start trusting others, especially Carter. He's not as helpless as you seem to think."

"Yeah, right," I muttered, trying not to think of all the brave things Carter had done in the past few days. So okay, maybe he wasn't completely hopeless, but I wasn't about to say it aloud, even if this was just a dream.

As if she could hear my thoughts, my mother smiled and nodded. "You'll find out soon enough."

"Find out what?" The boat began to rock back and forth, instantly making my stomach churn. "And why did you bring me here?"

"Oh, I didn't summon you, Sadie," my mother answered, still keeping a safe distance from the murky water. "In fact, I was going to ask you the same question. You came here yourself."

"_What?"_ Well, that was unexpected. "No, that's impossible—"

"Strong emotions make you more powerful," Mom interrupted. "Your _ba_ is your soul, after all. If you were feeling strongly about something and wanted to come here, then it's no surprise that you arrived to the Land of the Dead in one piece."

"But I'm not _that_ powerful," I argued as my mother rolled her eyes at my stubborn attitude. "Hardly anyone is using the Duat now anyway. It's too dangerous."

"Oh, but you are that powerful Sadie. Have some faith in yourself!" Before I could comment, my mother flashed me a "_shut up and let me finish_" look, one that instantly reminded me of my childhood. "And as for the danger part, well, that hasn't stopped you before, has it?"

She had a point there.

I was about to answer when I was interrupted by a crack of lightning, illuminating the gloomy landscape. A swirl of mist gathered before me, twisting and swirling like a miniature hurricane. I had to shield my eyes to avoid debris and grains of sand that had gone airborne in the chaos.

"Ah, like father like son," my mother murmured. "Set always did have a way with entrances."

"What do you mean—" I began.

In the center of the funnel, a figure, tall and lean, became visible. Then, as the storm lessened, I could make out two gorgeous brown eyes that could melt even the most massive iceberg. It was—

"_A-Anubis?"_ I sputtered, my heart skipping a beat. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing." He smiled, revealing perfect, white teeth. My heart rate instantly increased.

"I—uh—"

"She brought herself here, Anubis," my mother interjected. Relived that she'd prevented me from embarrassing myself, I smiled thankfully in her direction before my mother continued. "The Rising is only hours from now, and she needed to get away. Speaking of which, aren't you supposed to be on duty right now?"

Anubis actually blushed, making him (if possible) look more adorable than before. "Well, I wanted to see if Lady Kane needed anything. I didn't know you would be here, Your Highness."

My mother turned away from Anubis and started wiggling her eyebrows in my direction in a way I had imagined normal mothers doing to their own daughters when she met their boyfriends. I moaned.

"Mom!" I exclaimed, praying Anubis hadn't noticed. I instantly regretted wanting my mom to be normal.

My mother made a _tsk-tsk_ noise before answering. "Well, Anubis, Sadie is perfectly fine. I didn't know you made such journeys for mere mortals." I was about to protest about her not-so-subtle inquiry, but she cut me off before I could finish.

"There must be a special reason for abandoning your post," she prodded, flashing me another meaningful look.

Anubis ran his hand nervously through his black hair, that seemed to glisten in the eerie torchlight. "I'll go back—" he began, avoiding my mother's eyes, as well as her last comment.

"No need," Ruby replied. "I need to get going anyway. I'll leave you and Sadie…_alone._"

I groaned. "_Mom_—"

"That's really not necessary—" Anubis began.

"Oh, it's quite all right." She reached her hands out to me, as if she were going to hug me, just like old times. Then, remembering that she was nothing more than a vision, she said, "Take care of yourself, Sadie. You and your brother are one of the most powerful blood of the pharaohs the world has ever known. You'll know what to do when the time is right. Recite the spell. Only you can do this. It's your destiny."

"But Mum—" Spells, in their nature, are long and confusing. One mistake could result in your death—or worse. I didn't think I was ready for this, despite all my practice. I didn't want to recite the spell. I wasn't even sure if I _could_ do it, not that I had a choice.

But my mother understood. I knew it the moment I met her deep blue eyes, full of love and empathetic understanding. "You can do it, baby girl. I know you can. Never doubt your powers. You have no idea what you're capable of."

"Mom—"

"Goodbye Sadie," she whispered. "You can do this. Your father and I believe in you. Now it's time that you believe in yourself."

Then, before I could even reply, her form dissolved into nothingness, leaving Anubis and I alone. In seconds, my feelings went from frightened and depressed to awkward and overjoyed. What an odd combination.

"So," I said, "what brings you to this gorgeous river, only hours before the end of the world?"

"I—uh—" Anubis shrugged, instantly looking embarrassed. "I just wanted to see you. You know, before—"

"Before I leave to fight to my death," I finished. Unfortunately, it was the truth.

"You're going to be just fine," he assured me, his voice confident and unbelievably sexy.

"Well…I wouldn't be too sure about that." The closer he came to me, the harder it was for me to think straight. In moments, we were no more than a foot apart, and my thoughts instantly went from sluggish to incoherent.

"I am," he murmured. "Positive."

"You're overconfident," I countered, not meeting his eyes that were suddenly just inches from mine. "It must run in the family."

"You're right," he whispered just above my ear. "But I've never been wrong."

"Yet."

He shrugged, lowering his face so it was level with my own. "Yet."

Then, looking me straight in the eye, he closed the space between us. I didn't even have time to register our closeness before he was kissing me.

I gasped as his lips touched mine, smooth and gentle. Now, I had no kissing expertise of my own, but you'd be insane not to think this god was an amazing kisser. I actually found myself on my tiptoes, eagerly trying to get closer to his gorgeous body. It wasn't until—oh, thirty seconds later—that I realized how wrong that sounded. I was _thirteen_. He was…well, thousands of years old. I shouldn't be enjoying this.

Only I was. And nothing the logical bit of my brain told me would change that.

I had a sudden urge to pull him closer, to run my fingers through his smooth, black hair. This was definitely _not_ normal for a thirteen year old—wasn't it?

Gods, I was in trouble, and not just because the world was ending, but because I, Sadie Kane, was falling for a guy who was over a thousand times my age, and a god no less. I was done for.

As if on cue, another high pitched shriek cut through our magical moment. Anubis coughed and, in a rather constrained manner, moved away from me as if I'd lash out and attack him at any second.

"I'll—uh, get going," he said, running his hand through his hair nervously. "My father has been arguing with Osiris for the past twenty four hours. I better put an end to his tirade, or he'll blow something up before the battle even begins."

Still incapable of complete sentences, I managed to say, "Uh…yeah. Okay."

He opened his mouth to say something more, but seemed to think better of it. Instead, he flashed me a small yet breathtakingly handsome smile before stepping back into his newly-formed tornado.

"Be careful, Sadie." His eyes bore meaningfully into mine, almost causing my knees to buckle on spot. "Just be careful."

"I-I will," I stammered, staring into those gorgeous brown eyes one last time. Hey, for all I knew, it really _could_ be my last.

"Oh, and Anubis!" I called, just as he was about to turn. Anubis, still grinning, answered, "Ah, I was expecting this. Cantankerous till the very end."

I was about to ask what the heck "cantankerous" meant when Anubis, noticing my confusion, clarified, "Disagreeable. You always need to get the last word."

"What are you, a walking dictionary?" I muttered, annoyed that he knew something I didn't (hey, I get it all the time with Carter. I didn't need to look inane in front of Anubis too.) "You're as bad as Carter!"

"I've lived for thousands of years," Anubis argued. "What do you expect?"

Ignoring his comment, I asked, "If I die tonight, that means I'll see you anyway, right? Since you're the god of death and all."

The playful glint in Anubis' eyes, along with his smile, disappeared. His expression, once casual, became stony, and yet handsome all the same. "You're not going to die, Sadie," he said firmly, leaving his portal behind.

"But if—" I began.

"No," he said. The word was short but final. He said it confidently, as if he was trying to not only convince me, but himself as well. "You're going to be fine, Sadie. You're _not_ going to die."

"But how can you be so sure?" I questioned. Despite my determined expression, my voice sounded quiet and—gods help me—extremely vulnerable.

His expression immediately softened. "I don't," Anubis answered, taking a step towards me. "But you're strong, Sadie, and very powerful. You may be stubborn and annoying at times—"

"Hey!" I protested, momentarily tearing my gaze away from his gorgeous face.

"—but you're probably one of the strongest people I know," he concluded. "You can take care of yourself. That's why I know you'll be alright."

"You're too optimistic for your own good," I muttered, but before I could say anything else, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me again, only with less force than last time. Once again, he had caught me off guard, and despite the ridiculous happy thoughts that had blossomed in my mind, I still hated not being able to come up with a snarky comment at a moment's notice.

Anubis flashed me a knowing smile. "Ah, the infamous Sadie Kane, rendered speechless at last."

"Shut up," I managed to say before his form began to dissolve. "This will be the last time you witness this, so take a good look."

"Oh, I don't doubt that," Anubis agreed. "Looks like Christmas came early this year. I can finally check off another bullet on my bucket list: _Make Sadie Kane speechless for at least ten seconds_—check."

"You're a freak, you know that?" What can I say, I was still pretty shocked. Even_ I_ couldn't think of any decent insults after being kissed not once, but twice by a guy who Liz and Emma would refer to as "third degree burns" hot. I guess being hours from your certain death has its perks.

"Be careful, Sadie." He whispered, despondent about leaving me. I could see it in his eyes; the feeling of helplessness, worry, and possibly affection (though it was probably just wishful thinking on my part.) But I guess gods don't have very long coffee breaks, because before I knew it, he was backing up down the dock, his lean form already fading. "I'll be seeing you later—I promise."

"Hopefully not in a body bag," I replied, but he had already vanished into thin air within the space of a single heartbeat. Only I didn't leave. Instead, I found myself staring blankly at the river, black and inky; a goofy smile on my face until dawn.

The world was about to end. In fact, I could be dead in a couple of hours. Yet, at the moment, I didn't even notice. All my muddled brain could focus on were two gorgeous brown eyes, a dazzling smile, and a lingering kiss that was still on my lips.

My life was more mental than I thought.

*::*::*

**Well, please review and tell me if I wrote Sanubis okay (unlikely) or if I failed miserably and should stick to Zarter. Oh, and e****xpect chapters coming sooner. I want to be done before school starts, and since I'm going on two trips soon, I'm trying to update before then. We'll see how that goes. ;)**

**Just FYI: There's only FIVE chapters left to this story (ahhhh!) I'M GETTING REALLY EXCITED! As much as I love KC, I am getting tired of writing this fanfic! I can't wait to begin my new one (Kane Drabbles, in case you were wonderin', but more on that later ;)**

** Thanks for reading and don't forget to tell me what you think! :D**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	26. Chapter 26

**HELLO EVERYONE! It's mythomagic, back from her long vacation. Yes, I know it seems like I've disappeared and fallen off the face of the planet, but I have a good reason! I've been away without my computer. I could only use the hotel's ones, and you can't download documents onto fanfiction from there. Trust me, I tried. But I just got back Friday and sat right down to do this, so that earns me some effort points, right? Don't answer that…**

**Anyway, this is ****for ****FlameTamer16**** for inspiring**** me to write this chapter (even though that was, like, a month ago :) Also, thanks for all of you guys who reviewed. They really mean a lot to me, and if you didn't get a thank you PM from me, then I apologize. I try to respond to everyone, but it takes a really long time and I lose track of whom I've thanked and who I haven't. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter (took me a LONG time to write, folks! Longest chapter ever!) The battle starts in the next chapter, but this one is just as important! :D Enjoy!**

C

A

R

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R

You know those stories about sleepwalkers who wake up with dirt on their shoes or stuff in their room without knowing how it got there? Well, that's what I felt like the morning before the apocalypse with a crook and flail on my nightstand next to a mythology book and my alarm clock. Talk about strange.

Besides from visiting Ra in his secluded prison in the deepest corner of the Duat, I had a dull, dreamless sleep. And I would have stayed asleep too, if someone hadn't been ramming the hilt of a sword against my bedroom door, which wasn't ordinary, even for me.

Eyelids still heavy from sleep, I dragged myself out of bed to answer, only to find a short, brunette trainee with sea green eyes. She looked about my age, wearing a bronze breast plate and long, black pants that fanned out at the bottom, as if she was trying to look stylish, even in battle. "Time to get up, commander," she greeted. "The boat for Alexandria leaves in ten minutes."

"Wha—what?" I stammered, my brain trying unsuccessfully to decipher her words so early in the morning.

"You heard me. You're one of our leaders, Commander Kane." She smiled at my discomfort over the word "commander". "Now, are you gonna get dressed, or do we have to watch you fight in your boxer shorts? Because no offense, I'd rather not follow that into battle. I think it would make us look a lot less intimidating than we already do, what with all the eight-year-old warriors and all."

It was so early; I didn't even bother feeling embarrassed. And if my face did heat up, I didn't notice, nor did I care. "Um, yeah. Okay. I'll be right down...uh..." I struggled to remember her name, coming up but came up blank.

"It's Charlotte. I'll see you down there..._Commander_," she added, well aware of my distaste towards the title. Then she flashed me a toothy smile, one perfect enough to be on a Crest Toothpaste commercial. If I hadn't already been introduced to the bright light of the hallway, I would have been blinded by her teeth alone. Then she was gone, leaving me to get dressed for what might possibly be the last time.

Despite our deadline, I took my time; unfolded my dark clothes with expert care, lingered in the bathroom, brushing my teeth; and stared at the bleary eyed, fifteen year old in the mirror. I knew that there was a big chance that I was going to have to defeat Apophis on my own, and if I did, I definitely wouldn't be coming back. I'd been so lost in thought that I hadn't even noticed I had been standing there until I heard the metallic clang of weapons that someone had dropped downstairs.

With a final glance at my spotless room, dark and devoid of life under the blanket of darkness, I shut my door, my fingers lingering on the metal handle. Sighing, I brushed the gold room number 42, wondering who would live there after I'm gone.

_So much for a room of my own_, I thought gloomily. _I guess I'll be seeing Dad sooner than I thought._

I stopped at the stairwell, staring down at the trainees—little kids—as they lugged weapons and other magical equipment onto the patio, where it would be stored with the rest of the battle supplies. Then they'll be handed a wand and weapon of their choice, regardless of age, and be told to take position on the reed boat to protect the others during our trip to Alexandria. Some of them hadn't been training for more than a year, the majority of their short lives spent playing with dolls, watching Disney Channel, and sleeping with stuff animals. Others had just graduated middle school or were only freshman in high school, with dreams and a world of opportunities.

Even in all of the pre-battle chaos, I couldn't help but notice that all of them were going into a war we could not win, because of us.

Because of me.

If I had been able to convince Ra, or Desjardins, or _any_ of the magicians at the First Nome, then maybe this wouldn't be happening. Maybe we wouldn't be traveling to our deaths. Maybe we would actually have a chance. Maybe our entire journey wouldn't have been in vain.

Only I didn't do any of those things. I failed. Which was why Ra was right; only _I_ could go after the Serpent. I wouldn't be returning here to the 21st Nome, or anywhere else. _That's_ why I couldn't survive. _That's_ why I have to face Chaos on my own, despite the sun god's riddles. I _had_ to die.

I closed my eyes, breathing in the scent of Pine Sol, dust, and coffee; scents that would later be replaced by blood, smoke, and ash. After breathing in the smells of home one last time, I opened my eyes.

Then I descended the marble staircase for the last time, shutting off all the lights behind me. The entire third and second floor was swallowed by darkness as I neared the landing.

And I didn't look back.

*::*::*

Something told me telling Sadie about my plan wouldn't exactly help matters, so I kept it to myself.

_When the time's right,_ I reasoned, _I'll tell her the truth. For now, I'm just going to spend time with my sister. _

That is, if Sadie didn't figure out my plans on her own.

"You okay?" she asked when I met her on the reed boat, looking me up and down, scrutinizing my appearance. "You look…odd."

"Gee, thanks," I muttered, my behavior caustic as I lugged another box of what looked like magical amulets on board.

"No, really," she replied, her eyes shining with worry. "You're acting strange."

"Am I?" I asked, my expression neutral.

Sadie's blue eyes narrowed, almost making me falter. "Yes."

"Well, I wouldn't worry about it." I placed the box in front of the multitudes of crates at the back of the boat. Then I closed my eyes and concentrated, summoning a small amount of magic from my reserves. The box levitated, climbing the mass of supplies before Sadie and I. I didn't even have to look to know that it had reached the top.

"Must be pre-battle jitters or something," I reasoned, placing the crate on top of the others before turning to face her.

We stared at each other. If there's one thing Sadie's best known for, it's her death glares. She was facing me down in an eye-contact battle, Sadie's equivalent of a 19th century draw. Whoever looked away first had something to hide, according to her. Usually it was just because people were freaked out, but my sister refused to listen to reason; which is exactly why I couldn't back down. I couldn't let her realize that something was wrong; if I did, she'd pester me all the way to the battlefield, and that was the_ last_ thing I needed. It was like one of those showdowns you see in old western movies. One false move and you're dead. Unfortunately, it was usually Sadie who pulled the trigger.

"Are you sure you have nothing to tell me?" she prodded, her eyes boring into mine.

I raised an eyebrow. "Not that I can recall. Why don't you help me with these boxes and enjoy yourself before the battle?" Still staring, I retrieved a sword from inside one the closest crate and started running my finger along the edge in a meager attempt to prove that I wasn't at all intimidated by her. Unfortunately, that was anything but the truth. Sometimes my sister scared me to death.

_Why don't you leave me alone?_ I wanted to scream_. I just found out I'm going to die within the next twenty-four hours! Let me make the best of it!_

I just wanted to spend some time with her before I'd have to face the Embodiment of Chaos and fight to my death; was that too much to ask?

This was childish, I knew. Sadie was just worried about me and wanted to help. But I wasn't in an understanding kind of mood, and quite frankly, her ability to sense that something was wrong with me within seconds was really starting to freak me out.

After about a minute of intense glaring, someone bumped into Sadie, throwing her off balance. In that split second, I looked away, my gaze on an eye of Horus charm inside the nearest crate. By the time Sadie found her footing, I was on the other side of the boat, lifting yet another box on top of the others. I had successfully escaped.

The result of our stare-battle remained unspoken; it was obvious I had won. She'd flinched first, but I had pulled the trigger. If this had been a normal occasion, I would have been rubbing my victory in her face. Only this wasn't a normal day, even for a Kane. This was Dooms Day; the End of the World.

Usually the outcome of the Glare Contest finalized Sadie's suspicions, but she still wasn't convinced; I could feel her suspicious gaze on me even when I disappeared back into the mansion, the reed boat no longer in sight.

*::*::*

I figured the best way to get Sadie off my back was to act normal, and if this was a normal day, I would have gone onto the roof and thought about Zia. Psh, and Sadie said I was boring. [Yes Sadie, I can climb onto our roof. Do you see dull people climbing on roofs on a daily basis? I don't _think _so.] Fortunately for me, I had actually found Zia only a few days before, so I didn't have to use my amazing magical skills to leap onto our relatively flat roof from my balcony. Somehow I managed to locate her room only minutes before our departure.

"Hello?" I knocked. "Anybody home?"

I was about to leave when the door swung open, revealing a barren first-floor guestroom and Zia in front of the small mirror at the foot of the bed. We had offered her a nicer bedroom, but Zia pointed out that it was only for one night, and she didn't intend on staying. Admittedly, I would have been too tired to clear out a bigger, fancier chamber anyway.

She wore a copper-colored breast plate with long, black pants, black t-shirt, and black combat boots that put Sadie's to shame. On the bed was a long, wooden shield covered in cowhide. In the edges, hieroglyphics were etched into the bark, making the shield look simple yet elaborate. It was basic weapon for ancient Egyptian armies, but I had only seen a few in my lifetime, which is saying something, since I've been to more museums that I can count. I was about to run my finger along the edge when Zia glanced up from the mirror and noticed me looking.

"It was my father's," she explained. "Passed down to him from his grandfather, who found it in one of the pharaoh's tombs. No magical qualities whatsoever. That is, until I got a hold of it." She grinned, nodding towards the shield, urging me to touch it. I did.

"I didn't think anyone was going to stick to the traditions," I thought aloud.

"They're not," Zia replied. "Well, for the most part. We'll use swords and wands and amulets, possibly some shields here and there—" she motioned towards the shield on her bed, "—but Egyptian battle gear wouldn't be too useful against an army of demons. Besides, I'd rather not see you in nothing but a belt and a loincloth."

Rolling my eyes, I placed the shield back onto the bed in fear that I'd somehow destroy it. "Not all warriors wore that," I muttered.

"Yeah, but most did," Zia pointed out, obviously studying me to see if I'd pass in traditional Egyptian attire.

"Whatever. Even if we were following the ancient ways, I wouldn't be wearing one."

Zia grinned. "Sure you wouldn't."

I ignored her comment. "For some reason, we've been unanimously selected to be commanders of this misfit army, which means if this was 2000 BC, we'd be inside some huge chariot with some ridiculous helmet and golden battle armor." I shrugged. "Not too shabby, but I prefer my Sketchers and T-shirt."

"It's no surprise you've been chosen, Carter," Zia said a matter-a-factly. "You've hosted the god of war himself. You're trained in combat magic. You've been in numerous battles—" she stopped and eyed me, probably to check if I flinched or covered my ears at the memory or something, but I didn't. I secretly thanked Apophis for sending me those visions. As gruesome as they were, I'd learned which battle tactics worked and which ones failed. Well, if the warrior I'd replaced didn't die before I could figure it out, that is. I realized that if I just thought of this battle as one of those in the visions, I wasn't afraid. In fact, I felt nothing at all. Just a sinking feeling in my stomach, because unlike everyone else here, I knew what to expect. And it wouldn't be pretty.

"Large for an Egyptian shield," I observed, ignoring Zia's worried gaze. "They stopped using these thousands of years ago, replaced by smaller ones to defend themselves against direct blows from battle axes or swords."

Zia looked impressed. "Exactly. Those shields restricted the user's ability to use their other weapons. It was only useful for protecting the entire body from flurries of arrows. Or, at least, that's what they believed." Zia's eyes met mine, a mischievous glint in her amber eyes. "I've discovered that they also protect a warrior's entire body from offensive spells. Perfect for defense."

"How did you figure that out?" I questioned, partly because I was actually curious, and partly because I liked hearing her talk. "Just happen to be carrying it around when someone tried to kill you?"

Zia rolled her eyes, but hey, this is Zia Rashid we're talking about. Personally, I wouldn't have been surprised if she nodded and said she was attacked on a regular basis.

"Iskandar was teaching me some simple charms a few years back. You know, turning swords into toothpicks, oranges to lemons—that sort of thing."

"You call _that_ easy?" I asked, recalling the chili I had spelled after I cooked it in order to make it edible. It hadn't worked.

Zia shook her head in disbelief, like she couldn't believe that I found such charms difficult.

"_Anyway_," she continued, "I wanted something a little more complex, so I broke into the library and, erm, _borrowed _a book about defensive spells. That's how I found the cast that could make my father's shield resistant to various levels of combat magic."

"That's pretty impressive," I admitted. "Did you tell Amos?"

"Everyone knows about that, including Desjardins," Zia said dismissively. "I'm not the only one who can sneak into libraries, you know. They have horrible security, and if there's one thing those magicians can't do, it's keep a secret."

"So...are we all getting these anti-combat shields?"

"Well, if you want, I can get you one. But there's always that tradeoff; offense for defense." Zia shrugged. "It'll create a barrier to protect you, but it'll make it difficult to cast spells of your own. Most magicians prefer not to use it. If you're skilled in combat magic, this could weaken you rather than protect you, and the last thing we need is another liability."

I stared at the shield, mind racing. "Zia, you're a genius."

"Not that look," she moaned. "What are you going to do, Kane?"

I grinned, a light bulb flashing above my head that only I could see. "We're going to devise a battle plan, Zia. Get Amos. We're going to need some help."

*::*::*

We met Amos and Sadie in the dining room a few minutes later. An enormous hologram of the desert in Alexandria was projected on the table, complete with the mini divisions of the magician army, led by Michel Desjardins himself. Not exactly the centerpiece I'd like in my dining room, but no one complained.

Seated around the projection were Amos, Bast, and some other magicians who apparently lived in the New York area. All of them were wearing battle attire; some with shields and staffs, others with a _khopesh_ or an ordinary sword. But _everyone_ had their wands drawn, as if they were expecting Apophis to pop up any minute. Well, everyone but Bast. While we were hording weapons of mass destruction, she was stuffing Friskies into the Duat (since her leopard jumpsuit lacked decent sized pockets.) She sighed, impatiently tapped her claws against the mahogany table.

Some of them followed Bast's example, tapping their fingers anxiously against their swords. Others hopped back and forth on their heels, ready to leap into action at a moment's notice. Only I wasn't anxious, wasn't worried. I simply stared stony-faced at the barren landscape projected before me. In fact, I felt nothing; hollow, because I_ knew_ what awaited us on that battlefield. I _knew_ what it would be like. But I wasn't afraid. I convinced myself that this was just another vision, just another battle I'd have to fight in. Only it wasn't. Unlike the others, I wasn't invincible. Sure, I'd died dozens of times that night in the tunnel, but I always came back, never permanently stayed dead. This time, I wouldn't be reborn. If I died, I died. There was no going back.

"Welcome," Amos greeted, interrupting my dark thoughts. "Carter has a few last minute plans he'd like to share with us." He paused, gesturing me to stand. "Carter?"

So I talked, expounding on the plans Zia and I had devised only minutes before in her room. Though the faces of the audience remained expressionless throughout my speech, decision at the end was unanimous; it was a great idea, a foolproof idea. Even Amos was beaming by the time the meeting was adjourned. Still, I couldn't help but feel doubtful.

Our "militia", consisting of a few of Amos' allies, the gods (at least, the ones Horus and my dad could convince), and our trainees would gather in Alexandria and meet Desjardins' army. From there, we would try to convince them to join us. If we succeeded, we'd team up and divide the army into sub-divisions. The first few rows would be given some of Zia's shields to protect them and others behind them from fatal combat magic. The warriors in the middle would be equipped with swords, wands, and other weapons that could inflict serious if not terminal damage on their enemies_—_the demon army, which, according to Amos, was founded by Apophis' followers. If our messengers were correct, the Serpent's demonic formation would reach the battlefield_—_dubbed the Rising site by fellow magicians_—_an hour or so after we arrive. From there, we would fight to the death (hopefully without the death part), and emerge victorious. Then we'd surround Apophis' prison while Sadie performs the Binding spell from the Book of Ra that will destroy Apophis until the end of time.

The plan _was_ foolproof...except there lacked a Plan B in case something really _did_ go wrong, like if we lost to the demons, or weren't able to convince the others...

Well, we'd cross that bridge when it came.

The reed boat was completely packed by the time Zia, Sadie, Amos, and I finished devising our strategy. Before boarding the vessel, I stopped and stared at what had been referred to for the past twenty-four hours as "the militia." Gazing back at me were fifty-three trainees, one cat goddess, and eleven magicians (Amos, Zia, Sadie, and myself included.) That's when the sinking realization hit me; the girl this morning_—Charlotte__—_was right. The last thing we needed was to look less intimidating than we already are. If we didn't convince some others to join us, the only way we'd be able to rid the world of Apophis was if he died of laughter. The Three Stooges looked tougher than we did.

Zia, who had been standing beside me, took my hand. "They're warriors at heart," she said, forcing a smile as she tried to reassure me. "Aren't you?"

A few kids enthusiastically replied, "Oh yea! Bring it on, A-pop-his!" which only made me feel worse. Zia and I both knew that wasn't the case. They may be willing to put their lives on the line for the world, but in reality, they were just kids. Sure, they had training in magic and a royal bloodline, but they were still just a bunch of children who probably wouldn't last a minute against Apophis' demon army.

But they were all we had.

"Yeah," I replied, making sure the surrounding trainees heard me. "They really are." Luckily, my voice sounded more confident than I felt.

Then I boarded the boat, Zia right behind me. On Amos' command, we took off and descended into the Duat.

"Alexandria, here we come!" a trainee no older than eleven shouted, his voice slightly tremulous. Hoots and hollers from the younger trainees followed.

Still clutching Zia's hand, I forced a smile as the boat lurched forward into the River of Death. For most of them, this would be their first experience with Duat travel. Some raised their hands in the air and laughed, like this was a roller coaster at their favorite theme park. I didn't correct them. I had a bad feeling it would be the last time they ever enjoyed themselves, and I didn't want to be the one to take it away from them. It was my fault they were riding to their deaths anyway.

Not all of the trainees were laughing, though. Others simply stared straight ahead, there expressions stony and frightened; a grim reminder of what was to come.

In moments, we were swallowed by darkness, the mansion disappearing behind us.

*::*::*

The trip to Egypt took longer than we had anticipated. Countless times demons and other creatures from the Land of the Dead tried to board the boat. For the most part, we were able to fend them off and save the supplies, but unfortunately, some trainees weren't as lucky. We lost three crates of weapons by the time we reached Alexandria, but luckily, no lives were lost. Sadly, I couldn't say the same for the battle itself.

The moment we stepped foot onto the sand of the battlefield, I knew we were in trouble. In the distance, an enormous dome made of what looked like sand, water, and clay blocked our view of the moon. It was nearly ten stories high, but to me, it looked thinner than an eggshell. I don't see how that could have encased the Serpent for eons, but I decided not to mention it. Cracks were already starting to appear in the dome's smooth surface, like a chicken ready to hatch (well, if all chicks were born with a thirst for blood and death...)

Heat distorting my vision, I did a 360 of the desolate landscape. Surrounding us was exactly what the hologram on the dining room table had shown; about ten thousand armed magicians, led by our French friend, Desjardins.

"Oh, joy," Sadie muttered when the Chief Lector came into view. "Just who I wanted to see."

I was about to comment when I noticed who Desjardins was talking to; my dad, surrounded by hundreds of gods and goddesses, major and minor, all equipped for battle and shining with a heavenly light, so it was difficult to look at them directly. Some were nothing but fiery balls of light and gas, while others constantly shifted forms, making it impossible to distinguish one god from the other.

Before us was a supernatural army.

I spotted my dad and Isis, both dressed in their traditional battle armor and matching iron helmets. Somehow, the goddess of magic managed to look beautiful even in a back and breast plate. I think Zia took the prize, though, but I certainty wasn't going to say it unless I wanted to be incinerated. I'm not sure who would be more angry: Isis or Zia. Both of them scared me to death though, so I kept my mouth shut.

"What does the god of Knowledge have to say?" the goddess was asking, turning to Thoth, who was patting his frizzy hair nervously, his expression taut.

He coughed, wiping his hands on his grubby lab coat, covered in barbecue sauce, before answering. "This is a pretty precarious situation we have here," he began dispassionately_._ "We can't afford to make mistakes. I say we join with the humans. Personally, it sounds a lot better than dying, and they seem to know what they're doing. We won't stand a chance without them, and you know it. Leave your prejudices and egos behind for once and do what's right. We're gods, for Ra's sake! We should do something that will benefit our subjects, not just ourselves for once. It's time to live up to our names and start using our powers to actually benefit the world. It's time we start _acting_ like gods."

A majority of the assembly nodded, including my father. Others, like Serquet and Sobek, still looked unconvinced.

"They're stubborn and pigheaded," the crocodile god growled. "We don't need them to fight some stupid serpent. And I'm _not_ fighting alongside a magician. It goes against nature, Osiris! Surely you can see that!"

"Why must you abide by the ancient ways?" my father asked. "It's time we make a new tradition—it's time we trust them. Neither of us can survive without the other. If we're going to beat this Serpent, then we have to work together. Before we can declare war on Chaos, we have to end the war against ourselves."

Desjardins, after finding his voice, shouted, "Begone you fiends! We don't want you here! Now leave or we'll do it for you!"

"Ooooh, scary," Set scoffed, licking his lips hungrily. "Can we eat him? He smells like croissants."

"No!" Bast and Isis shouted at once. Another dark-haired woman, whom I recognized from the wall paintings in Zia's tomb, shot him a death glare; Nephthys. Set shut up immediately, muttering at his boots.

"You are all gulls! Louts! Idiots! You have been deceived by these traitors, these _Kanes," _Desjardins spat the word like it was poison, "into believing that the gods will help us. They are _wrong._ We must do this on our own. The gods_ created_ this abomination; it is time _we_ take control and defeat it ourselves."

"Ah, I love when people talk about us behind our backs," Sadie said, loud enough for both processions to hear. "Luckily, we're here now, so you don't have to!"

Desjardins, who was obviously unfazed by Sadie's comment, laughed. "That's your powerful army, Amos? A bunch of children? Oh, I'm sure Apophis is quaking in his eternal prison."

"Not so eternal anymore," Sadie grumbled.

"Michel," Amos greeted cordially, lightly nudging Sadie in the arm. "Talking as usual, I see. Why don't you let your army think for themselves, or do you cook for them too?"

"I wouldn't be so cocky, Amos," Desjardins answered, his loud voice almost strident, making sure he was heard. "You're the minority here. If you haven't noticed, you have an army standing before you. You'd better bite your tongue before I tell my soldiers here to silence you themselves."

"You wouldn't kill an old friend, who you Michel?" Amos replied innocently. "You and I go way back."

The Frenchman's nose scrunched in distaste, as if he was remembering something unpleasant. His eyes narrowed, flashing in irritation as he spoke. "If I recall correctly, Amos, we were _not_ friends. The First Nome doesn't socialize with _traitors._"

"Jeesh, I never got the impression Desjardins disliked us so much. He must have been harboring resentment all this time," Sadie muttered.

"That can't be healthy," I whispered back, rewarded when she smiled.

Amos's eyes widened in mock surprise. "Oh, so we're traitors now, Michel?" he asked dubiously. "Is that what you call people who are right? Because if I remember correctly, Julius and Ruby warned you about this years ago. And now it's finally happening; the end had arrived."

Desjardins' mouth curled into a leer. "You and your treacherous niece and nephew illegally summoned immortal beings without the permission of the First Nome. You're all lying, murderous _fiends_, trying to brainwash decent magicians into joining gods who have caused nothing but trouble for us for thousands of years. So yes, Amos. _That's_ what I call a traitor."

"That's not true, Desjardins," Zia argued, speaking up for the first time. "The gods will help us if you agree to help as well. And why reproach the Kanes for this? They're just trying to save your lives, not to mention the entire world's! They've recognized that we all have to assist in defeating the Serpent, even if it means doing the unimaginable: working together. You're all just too thick to see it." Desjardins glared at her, but before he could comment, Zia shot him a death glare worthy of Sadie's standards.

"Besides," Zia added, "saving the world isn't the job for just one man, or one army. It has to be a group effort, or we'll all fail. You can't destroy chaos on your own."

"I must agree," Thoth said before the Chief Lector could reply. "I'm sorry to say that this insufficient army of yours will never be able to destroy the Embodiment of Chaos on their own. It just isn't mathematically or theologically possible. Now, if you were to increase your numbers, the probability of you not being seared by the wrath of the Serpent or spontaneously combusting by the mere effort of fighting its demon force, you might actually survive."

Fumming, Desjardins' face turned a deep shade of crimson. "Don't contradict me, Zia! You are no better than those Kanes; _traitors_, all of you! And _you_," he spat, pointing a crooked finger in Thoth's direction, "_you_ have no idea what you're talking about."

"I beg your pardon," Thoth exclaimed, obviously offended. "I'm the god of Knowledge for Ra's sake! Of _course_ I know what I'm talking about you—you little _lout!"_

Awkward silence followed. Finally, a young trainee stepped forward, hand raised. "Um...quick question: What's a lout?"

"An idiot, you idiot!" Sadie shouted in response, her eyes flashing in frustration.

"Wait…_what?"_

"Never mind," she snapped, averting her attention back to Desjardins. "The point is that the odds are against you on this one, Desjardins. Trust me, you-can't-win! We have to work together. End of the story. Close the curtain. SHUT THE DAMN DOOR!"

I face palmed myself as half of the magician army glared in Sadie's direction while the other half quizzically cocked their heads and tried to figure out what she meant. I sighed.

"What Sadie meant to say was that this is our last chance. We've got to team up or perish under the hand of Apophis' demon army. It's as simple as that."

Once again, a chorus of raucous voices erupted from the both sides.

"You are just jealous that you lack an all-powerful, destructive army of magical proportions," Desjardins retorted. "The only people you can blame for this are yourselves. You and you cunctations to be exact. If you had joined us and planned ahead—"

"What's a cunctation?" Allie, an eight year old trainee, whispered, pulling on my sleeve. Josh, a twelve year old trainee taking the path of Thoth, glanced up from his ever-present iPhone. "Oh my gods! Spellcheck doesn't recognize it, and I have no internet connection here! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?"

"Why not ask the god of knowledge over there?" Desjardins jeered, motioning towards the god of knowledge with his long, lanky arms.

Thoth rocked uncomfortably from side to side, obviously not accustomed to all the attention, (not that I could blame him, since he usually locked himself in an office with a bunch of baboons for company.)

"Um…it's the act of procrastinating," he explained, running his hand habitually through his long hair. "You know, putting something off until the very last minute."

"So we should blame Desjardins' bad wardrobe on his cunctation?" Sadie deadpanned. "I mean, it looks like he threw that together in the span of twenty seconds."

Desjardins ignored my sister's comment, flashing an amused smile that didn't reach his dark eyes. "This is _not_ class time. The world is about to end, and you're fiddling away on your handheld device for vocabulary definitions? No wonder why you were predestined to fail."

Snickers arose from the gathered soldiers as the tension between the two sides grew. I heard Set growl behind me while Horus muttered a string of Egyptian curses under his breath. Magicians were ominously muttering amongst themselves as trainees made faces in their direction. It was total chaos.

Sadie gripped my arm, digging her nails painfully into my arm. The message, however, was clear; this had to end before we all starting attacking each other. For once, I agreed with her.

"Listen, we're not here to fight you," I said, attempting to calm everyone down. "We're trying to _save_ you. Would it honestly kill you all to fight alongside us to achieve a common goal? You know, the goal to _save the planet from Chaos?_"

"Actually, yes, Kane, it _would_ kill us," Desjardins answered, his smile twisting into an ugly smirk. "We're not working with these godly beings anymore. They wouldn't be anything without _us_; their former believers. No one would have worshipped them. No one would have given them sacrifices, painted their figures on our walls, or written their stories on our scrolls. They _never_ would have existed in this world. There would _be_ no Egyptian gods, only supernatural beings who faded into the farthest corners of the Duat and perished, their tales lost and their powers useless. You saw what happened to those who are no longer worshipped, didn't you, boy? That's what would have occurred if it hadn't been for our ancestors; for _us._ But do we get any credit? Were we rewarded?"

Bast pushed into the front of the crowd, yellow eyes flashing with irritation. "You didn't _need_ to be rewarded! We influenced your _culture! _We were your _religion _for Ra's sake! "

More and more arguments arose, but Desjardins, ever the politician, raised his voice so only he would be heard. His army fell silent almost instantaneously. Then, voice orotund and persuasive, he shouted, "No! They treated us like we were nothing. Our problems weren't worth their precious time. Would it have killed them to send some rain on our crops? Or send food to the hungry or aid us in our battles? _No!_ So why help us now? I'll tell you why; because now _they're_ affected. Now _their_ immortal lives are on the line. Well, I say let them perish. We're saving ourselves on our _own_, like we've been doing for thousands of years. And that will _never_ change, not if we can help it."

"I agree that the gods haven't always been there for you," Osiris aka Dad said. "But we have helped you, even though you might not have noticed. We can't directly interfere, but we _do_ watch out for you, just as we did your ancestors. I should know. I used to be a magician myself, so I know how you feel. But it isn't their fault, Michel. They don't want you to _die. _But you're right; you can usually take care of yourself. But now you can't, at least not on your own. That's why we're here; to help."

"Spare me your lies, Osiris," Desjardins growled. "I heard about this. You expect me to believe that_ you _are Julius Kane? Julius died a traitor, and is probably suffering in the Afterlife for it, as will his children. These Kanes are nothing but kids who have been illicitly summoning gods and devising a plan against me and magicians alike."

He grinned, his eyes gleaming mischievously. "I say they should be punished for their iniquities. I suggest that they, as well as they're followers, leave this area immediately before we promptly turn it into a venue where we determine your fates—which, I can assure you, will not be pleasant—after we single-handedly rid the world of Chaos. Any questions?"

"I thought he said this wasn't class time," Sadie murmured, so softly that only I could hear. "If that's the case, then why is he taking on the role as teacher, and why are we his little students?"

I thought she was just being sarcastic, but when I turned around to silence her, I realized what she meant. Her eyes bore meaningfully into mine, obviously trying to tell me something. It only took moments for me to figure out what that something was.

Desjardins was taking control. We weren't being firm enough; we were letting him do all the talking while we unaffectedly try to throw in a few comments here and there. If I was going to convince thousands of people to join us, I needed to step it up. Someone needed to take on the role on teacher and give their class their next assignment: work together to kick some serpent butt. But every kid, even homeschooled ones, know that unless this teacher is firm and means business, no one in their right mind is going to listen. And since no one else seemed to be volunteering for the position, it looked like I'd be the one signing up for the job.

"I have one, actually," I said, praying my voice didn't sound as wobbly as I felt. "You were given the opportunity to talk, Desjardins. If we're on trial, then shouldn't we be given the opportunity to defend ourselves and convince the, uh, _jury_ by making a closing statement?"

"Why yes, Kane," the Frenchman replied, voice leaking sarcasm as he smirked. "The apocalypse has already been delayed. Another minute or so couldn't hurt."

I ignored his comment and, extending to my full height, addressing the armed and furious crowd. "Listen, I know you're hurt. I know you don't trust the gods, and I know the gods don't trust you. But this isn't about who you do or don't trust. It's about our _planet_, and the billions of innocent people who are going to die today if you don't work together. Desjardins made it clear that the gods haven't exactly been there for us all in the past. But you must look at it from their point of view. Gods can't directly interfere with mortals. I don't know what idiot came up with that rule, but there's nothing we, or the gods, can do about it."

I hesitated, letting that sink in. When no one objected, I took that as a good sign and continued. "So it's not their fault that your great-great-great-great granddad's crops died, or your ancestor's house got flooded by the Nile or your great-uncle fell victim to plague.

"Desjardins also pointed out that you, as well as your family, worshipped the gods for generations, and that the gods would be nothing without you. He's absolutely right. The gods would fade without us." I paused and scanned the faces of the crowd, some angry, others intrigued. "Am I right?"

There were a few grumbles and murmurs of "Yea," in response.

"Well, if that statements true, and we all seem to agree that it is, then why would the gods purposely let mortals perish by an illness or hunger or by foreign invaders? We already decided that they need us to survive, so it wouldn't make sense for gods to just leave us to die."

I smiled in spite of myself when I spotted the some magicians, expressions shocked as the realization hit them. For once, Desjardins wasn't thinking for them. They were thinking for themselves, coming to their own conclusions. I just had to make sure they were the _right_ ones.

"That's because they_ had no choice._ It's against the rules of the universe. They-can't-interfere. Not with famine, or wars, or any other mortal affairs." Looking over my shoulder at my father, I resumed. "But now they can. That's why they're here now, _to help you all. That's_ why they've come all this way to assist you in defeating a mutual enemy, one who you can't defeat on your own. And_ that's_ why we need to work together."

I sighed. "Don't you get it? The more we quarrel about this and bicker amongst ourselves, the stronger Apophis is growing. He's building an army who, according to _your_ messengers, are headed this way as we speak. The more time we waste, the closer we're getting to our own destruction. In fact, if we keep this up, Apophis won't even need to escape. We'll probably just end up destroying the world ourselves."

And that's when it happened. Everything fell into place, like pieces of one of those complicated, 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzles. You know that saying, know thy enemy? Well, I finally was able to get into Apophis head and look past the red herrings to unveil his real plan: to let us destroy each other. I mean, why waste an army of perfectly good demons when you can get your enemies to destroy themselves for you?

We were like dominoes. Once one falls, they take the rest of them down with them. Just like we'd take the world down with us if we kept this up. Once the first one fell, there was no stopping it. All we needed was the force to knock us over. And arguing with each other would be that force. Once someone threw the first punch, there'd be no stopping it, and his schemes would be fully culminated. It's just like Newton said; for every action there is an equal but opposite reaction. We were destroying each other, creating our own apocalypse.

"That's it, isn't it Apophis?" I whispered, speaking to the clouds above. "You want us to destroy ourselves, to make it easier for you." It was more of a statement than a question; I knew it was true.

The ground began to shake, the dome shuddering in response. Magicians and gods alike started to run, shouts of fear arising from the once organized crowd, while others gaped at the dome, paralyzed with fear. Eventually the din was silenced, but everyone had subconsciously moved a few inches away from the Rising site.

"Well, if that isn't a good enough answer for you, I don't know what is." I waited until I had everyone's attention before addressing the crowd once more. "Look, this is our last chance. Do you get it? We can't let the Serpent win. This is what he _wants._ He _wants_ us to stand here like this, arguing with each other. _We _are our greatest enemy. The only way this is going to work is if we all become allies; one army against Chaos.

"You're right, Desjardins," I said, meeting the dark eyes of the Frenchman. "It is up to us to defend the world, but you left out one important variable: the _gods_, because isolating Magicians in the equation doesn't equal Saving Humanity."

I thought this was rather creative, but I earned nothing but a few blank stares and an eye roll from my sister. "Once a nerd, always a nerd," she muttered.

I sighed. "Listen, ignore my bad metaphor. My point is that we can't do this without each other. We're already losing this battle. Now it's time to make a comeback and show this ancient reptile what we're made of."

I took a deep breath, trying to contain my growing anger. I'd been in this position before, trying unsuccessfully to convince an ancient god to assist me in saving the world. I couldn't fail again, and I knew it. But that didn't mean the thousands of people around me did.

My gaze briefly fell on my dad, standing beside my mother, Isis, and Horus. For the first time in what seemed like years, I saw the reflection of pride written in his caramel-colored eyes. I had _actually_ made my father proud. I hadn't seen that gleam since that time in the Hall of Judgement, when my father had been so downright _joyful_ at the time that it had annoyed me. I had just found out that he'd_ purposely_ hosted Osiris, even though it meant he'd have to die in order for the god to be reborn. He'd abandoned me, leaving me alone with Sadie and Amos. For a while, I had hated him for it. But now, I realized how much I wanted him to be proud of me, how much his opinion really meant to me, and how much it affected me. Even in the Afterlife, he was still my dad.

Even Horus's multi-colored eyes were gleaming with satisfaction, his head nodding to express his approval. Stunned, I took in the scene. This was something I never expected, even after communing with the guy for a couple of days. Today was certainly full of surprises.

Maybe it was from the sheer joy of this, or maybe it was the adoration from my mother, or the confident, reassuring smile from Sadie, or maybe it was the look of awe and something else altogether in Zia's amber eyes, as if she was witnessing something spectacular. Maybe it was all of these things, but somehow I managed to utter the most important words to conclude my speech, despite the weight of the silence around me and the possibility that all of this had been in vain.

"The Serpent will overthrow the magicians, the gods, _everything_ if he escapes. We _have_ to stop it. I thought Ra could help us, but he can't. We still have a chance to make things right. We don't have a supreme godly being on our side now. All we have is each other. We can't let can't let those billions of innocent people suffer for our mistakes, because there's nothing_ they_ can do. But there is something _we_ can do. Only _we_ can put the past behind us and work together. And only _we_ can save the planet from total chaos." I sighed, praying that they'd understand. "They need us, and we need each other."

Holding my breath, I asked the one question that remained. "So, who's with me?"

The group lapsed into stunned silence, rendered speechless by my words. Then, a bearded magician in metal battle armor stepped forward.

"Kane's right," he grunted, slamming his staff into the sand, narrowly missing Desjardins' foot. "I'm not going to be the one to cause an apocalypse just because I was too pigheaded to listen to reason. I may be uneducated, but I can tell this squabbling is getting us nowhere."

A woman in long blue robes joined him, her dark brown eyes glaring at Desjardins. "I agree. I know when I'm wrong, and I don't have a problem admitting it. The boy makes sense. We've got to work together, or we're all doomed."

A procession of magicians followed, all glaring at the Frenchman as they passed. Though some gazed wearily at the gods behind me, they didn't object. In under a minute, our army went from inadequate to invincible.

Only a small number of stubborn magicians remained; all of them were the main leaders of various nomes around the world and buddies of Desjardins. Before anyone could argue, I raised my voice to shout the three magic words.

"I met Ra," I announced, staring unblinkingly at the resistant leaders before me. For the first time, I was positive that I had everyone's attention, even Desjardins, who paused in mid-rant.

"He summoned me last night," I continued. "Now, I know it sounds far-fetched, but it's absolutely true. I tried to convince him to come back and help us. And he couldn't. He was too weak and old; he was dying. We're on our own now."

"Well, that's it," Set mumbled, though he didn't sound too depressed. "We're doomed."

"No, we're not," I answered, my voice firm. "Ra may have renounced his throne, but he said he wanted us to work together to end this thing. It was his dying wish."

Desjardins scoffed. "You expect us to believe this rubbish?" Mutinous muttering accompanied his outburst, but Desjardins paid them no attention. He wasn't giving up; he wanted to prove me wrong, to get this supporters back. And I couldn't let that happen.

One of his right hand men, an angular man with slate grey eyes whom I recognized from the First Nome, shot him a look. Then, hesitantly, he said, "Listen…you make a lot of sense kid, I'll give you that. But how do we know you're telling the truth? About meeting Lord Ra I mean."

"Well, I have this," I replied, retrieving the crook and flail from the Duat in one fluid motion. "And I have his throne…somewhere. But I'd rather not have to pull that out of the Duat as well, if you know what I mean." This wasn't true. I assumed Ra meant that he'd send me his throne when I needed it most, but I didn't have it with me. Either he felt I was doing fine without it, or he completely forgot, reading Hallmark cards and eating Cheetos while I unsuccessfully tried to convince the remaining magicians to join us. So much for _that._

"I know it looks bad," I admitted. "But Ra's been gone for eons, and we've survived. We don't need him to save the world. We can do it ourselves, but we've got to work together on this. It's what Ra would have wanted."

Fortunately for me, I didn't need the Ra's throne like I had originally assumed. "Good enough for me," one magician with a shaved head announced, shrugging. Then he pushed aside a few of his buddies and joined us. The rest of the stragglers followed. In the end, only Desjardins remained, standing alone in the footprints of his former soldiers.

"You're making a horrible mistake!" he exclaimed, his expression a mirror of mortification. "This will be the end of us all! We shall all perish! I am the only one who can save you! Can't you see? Don't you realize who I_ am?_"

"I know who you are Desjardins," Sadie shouted in response, "but I'd rather not say it. Let's just say you're a habit I'd like to kick—with both feet."

The Chief Lector gaped at her, speechless for the first time in his life, his eyes sharp with resentment.

"Why-why you _little-_"

"Spare me," Sadie interrupted, obviously uninterested in Frenchman's insults. "All of this arguing is becoming redundant. Now quit your yapping and get over here before we change our minds."

Desjardins glowered at us, muttering in French under his breath as he crossed into our division and approached Amos, who shook his hand.

"Crotchety old man," my sister muttered when his back was turned. Zia laughed, while other trainees stared, mouths agape, as some magicians from the First Nome nodded in their direction.

And that's when it hit me.

We _did _it.

Well, I certainty didn't expect that outcome. I guess miracles _can_ happen, even on Dooms Day. If I hadn't been standing in front of a well-armed army of gods and magicians, as well as a dome that contained a Serpent capable of mass destruction, I would have cried with joy.

The army of Death was headed our way. But I had never felt so alive.

*::*::*

**OHMIGODS THE BATTLE STARTS IN THE NEXT CHAPTER AHHHH! (****Yes…I get excited over these things…) ****But seriously, the next chapter is completely dedicated to the battle and zarter and awesomeness. I've been looking forward to this chapter ever since I started writing this fanfic, so I'm REALLY excited to share it with you all. (Wow, look how long it's taken me to get to this point. Like, almost 10 months. That's a little depressing…but hey, I had school and…stuff) Anyway, I know I've been saying "faster updates, I promise!" a lot recently, but since my promises are all predestined to fail, I am no longer promising anything. Instead, I am GUARANTEEING that there'll be another chapter this week. Yes, THIS WEEK. My school starts in almost one week (AHHH!) so I'm going to be updating about three chapters a week from now until the end of the story (only 4 chapters left!) I'll probably update on Thursday or Friday (remember, this is not a promise. It's a _guarantee!_), so stay tuned and I apologize for how long it took me to update! :D**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	27. Chapter 27

**Remember that time I guarenteed I'd update within the week? So what's today? That's right, it's SUNDAY! ...three weeks later. *awkward silence* FAIL. My guarantees stink worse than Percy's gym shorts. I should really just say "I'll update when I update," because obviously some great supreme being of your choice is against me updating on time. But I have an excuse: I started high school, and was bombarded by a torture device labeled HOMEWORK. In my defense, I haven't even been able to read or go outside or actually enjoy myself for the past three weeks, so it's not like I've been partying and simply forgetting this story exists (actually, I did forget about it while taking a math test, but that's not the point.) Anyway, here's the next chapter, long overdo. **

**Oh, quick note: You know Charlotte? That character I introduced in the last chapter? That was Brianna and MelBel10's character from way back when I did the Character Question, so this chapter is for them :) Sorry I didn't mention that in the last chapter...I sort of forgot :D ****Anyway, enjoy!**

C

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Apophis' demonic forces were only a few miles away, but in moments, our army was established. Magicians from the First Nome helped trainees unload our reed boat. My father, Horus, and a few other major gods assisted Desjardins, Amos, and Nome leaders in devising a battle plan. Minor gods, their forms constantly changing, whizzed through the crowd, pausing only to help younger trainees carry weapons or directing groups of soldiers to their designated positions. Elder magicians, expressions grim, examined the hologram of the desert and contemplated on the most unique, successful battle strategies their minds could conjure. Others moved metal soldiers around on a large, rectangular table; a mini replica of the entire battlefield. The kids, desperate to help, simply walked around, offering to tie shoe laces, adjust armor, and pass out water bottles. Hey, it was the _desert_ for crying out loud! It gets _hot_, even on Dooms Day. So if you're ever in this kind of situation, don't just stock up on weapons. Supply your reed boat with a surplus of Aquafina water bottles...preferably the ones with the grip that squirts water into your mouth—not just because they're more efficient, but because they're cooler (excuse the pun.)

Ancient weapons, such as shields, spears, cudgels, daggers, maces, and other materials with magical qualities, handled with extreme care, were distributed faster than the common cold. Spells and combat techniques, complex and deadly, were shared with everyone, until the entire army had new strategies to use during the fight. In fact, we would have spread a certain spell faster then your average high school could spread rumors. If that's not impressive, I don't know what is.

We might not have been shaking hands and calling for a group hug, but we were working together. And for now, that's was good enough for me.

*::*::*

Thoth had set up a twelve by twelve foot hologram of a timer, counting down the minutes until the demon army's arrival. Before I could find Sadie and Zia, someone firmly clamped their hands on my shoulders, steering me in the direction of the ping-pong table where people were moving clay soldiers around like chess pieces across the board. If anyone found a ping-pong table in the middle of the desert odd, they didn't let on. It wasn't until my captor spoke that I realized why I was here.

"Wonderfully done, Carter!" Horus congratulated. "I couldn't have done it better myself." The god's grip on my shoulder tightened, something I assume was an encouraging gesture, not the pain-inflicting squeeze that my body interpreted it as. "Amazing!"

"That was the idea," I replied, trying, with difficultly, to turn around while he maneuvered us through the bustling crowd towards the small gathering of superiors.

"Well, it was amazing; the work of a true leader." He looked at me pointedly before glancing the surrounding magicians and gods, who nodded encouragingly in my direction.

"Which is why we nominated you to be general," he quickly added, forcibly shoving me towards the table. My hands clamped onto the wood, preventing my fall, knocking over a few clay soldiers on impact.

"Wait—_what?_" I exclaimed, searching the eyes of my audience, waiting for someone to object. They didn't.

"That's right! Isn't that exciting?" Horus practically shouted, images of his past glory undoubtedly flashing before his multi-colored eyes. "I knew you'd be shocked!"

That wasn't the response I was looking for.

Horus sounded like a caffine-high fangirl who just found out that Justin Bieber was coming to dinner.

"Um, no. That's not what I meant," I clarified. "I mean, _what in the name of Ra are you thinking?_ I'm just a kid. I have no military skills whatsoever."

"Actually, you do," Horus said a matter of factly. "Remember that time you traveled the world looking for a missing spell book that is currently being carried towards the Rising site as we speak? And haven't you fought off magicians and other beings of unfathomable power in the course of your fifteen years of life?"

It must have been a retocial question, because I wasn't given the chance to answer. Instead, Horus answered for me. Grinning, he shouted,"Of course you did!" and slapped me painfully on the shoulder once more.

Before I could argue, the falcon god raised a finger to his lips. "I know this can come to as a bit of a shock—even _I_ was speechless when I discovered I was going to lead an entire army against the forces of chaos back in _my_ youth—but don't worry! It's not like the world depends—oh, wait, scratch that thought. The world does depend on it."

My father coughed loudly in Horus' direction, dark eyebrow raised.

"Um…but no pressure!" he added, smiling sheepishly at my dad before disappearing into the crowd of onlookers.

"But that's just it," I argued, my attention now on my father. "I haven't led an entire army before. I can't do it all on my own."

Set, who had been shearing his nails in the corner since he first arrived, scoffed. "Bah! Look at this boy! Thinks he's going to do it all on his own. Puh-_leez_. As if we'd leave every military unit of the rebel army to you."

"But you just said—"

"That you'd be a general, yes. I don't agree, but do Set's opinions matter in this little organization? No sirree. Just because I almost destroyed the world doesn't mean I can't participate in saving it against my arch nemesis." The god slammed his fist into the ping pong table in frustration, knocking over a dozen clay soldiers in the process. "I'm usually the one _plotting_ to destroy the planet. I can provide some helpful insight in that field!"

My father sighed. "What Set means to say is that general isn't the highest role in our magician-god army. There's about nine or ten ranks higher than your own, so the decisions of the magical forces won't be solely on you."

"Oh," I replied, relieved. "Well, that isn't so bad."

Dad smiled, nodding to show his satisfaction. "Good. Then you accept?"

"Do I have a choice?"

My father's grin broadened, reading my mind; already knowing I was sold. "You always have a choice, Carter."

"Well, then I accept." Then I grinned in return, thinking that, if I was about to die, then at least I could make my father proud, one last time. "What do you want me to do?"

*::*::*

Apparently the role of general these days is to give your opinion on certain battle tactics, help organize some divisions, and watch superiors argue with each other. I was able to voice my opinion now and then, but mostly I let Thoth, Horus, and my dad do the talking, since they obviously knew what they were talking about. It wasn't until I noticed an error in their strategy that I spoke up.

"This would led to chaos," I stated, pointing towards the chess board. "It's flawed, and history proves it. These formations are too well-rehearsed. Sure, that means the soldiers will follow orders more quickly, but it also makes us predictable. We know that the enemy is more powerful than us. That means we need deception on our side. Our formations need to follow a tactic that's new and unexpected. They'll never see it coming."

"Well, what's wrong with our plan?" Horus asked, anger masked by his golden helmet. "I don't see anything wrong with it. It's proven successful in the past, after all."

Standing, I pointed to the left portion of the table, covered with different magician military units. "Look. Both of these legions are open to attack from every angle. Once the army arrives, they'll have no place to retreat if necessary. The demons could easily surround them and destroy each and every soldier as they make their way towards the center. We need to use the landscape to our advantage and avoid being cornered by the Rising site."

Horus's eye brow arched, his forehead creasing as he tried to envision the plan in his head. "So what are you suggesting?"

"Well, camouflage is certainty out of the question. The land's too flat, and provides nothing we can use to make obstacles for the demons or protection for ourselves. The only tactic I can see actually turning out in our favor is the flanking maneuver. The demonic army would be surrounded from every direction, which would reduce it's ability to defend itself. I say we split up. The demons are headed towards the dome anyway. If we surround it by leaving two legions at each compass point, we can defend ourselves from onslaughts of demons as well as use their own creation, the dome, against them. That way, we can besiege the Rising site and attack from there. They'll be surrounded with no means of escape."

Sadie looked at me like I had sprouted three heads. Unfortunately, her reaction didn't differ much from the others around me.

"So I've being studying a little about battle tactics," I explained.

More stares.

"Okay, maybe I've really studied them," I admitted. "But that's not the point. Do you have any better ideas?"

Sadie raised her hand. "I vote Carter's plan."

"I agree," a voice added. Everyone turned to see Horus, complete with his glowing battle armor and _khopesh_, staring at me with something that looked a lot like pride. "It's a wonderful idea."

Thoth whistled. "Well, if Horus, the _warrior god _thinks the boy's plan is worth it, then I'll have to agree. I can't see anything wrong with that strategy, and I've been studying battles throughout the ages. It's foolproof."

"No strategy is foolproof," I said as Horus' expression turned stony. He didn't like me downgrading my plan, taking away the glory of it before the battle even began. But I didn't mind. If I was going to be leader, then I was going to be honest. I wasn't going to act invincible when I wasn't, and I certainly wasn't going to lead them into believing that they had nothing to fear. Because they_ should_ be afraid; we all could be dead before the day is done.

I stared at all of the trainees, some from the 21st Nome, others from nomes around the world. They all looked confident and even a little excited, but I could see the fear in their eyes, even in the eldest magicians and gods.

"But it's the best plan we've got," I clarified. "This is our last chance. Fight like you've never fought before. If everyone works together, and if we give it our all, we might have a chance to beat this thing. But I'm not going to lie. It'll be dangerous, and people _will _die. Now it's our job to never give up, and to make sure their deaths aren't in vain." I paused, waiting for someone to speak up. "So…do we all agree?"

My question was followed by dozens of responses of "Yes!" in a variety of languages. I grinned.

"Then let's get this show on the road."

*::*::*

After a twenty minute session, the meeting was adjourned. "You've been commissioned the task of leading the 12th division," Horus added before I could leave. "Legion Four. Have fun, and try not to die!"

"What a tragedy that would be," Set muttered.

"Horus is right, Carter," dad said, beaming in my direction despite the fact that I had done nothing to please him. "Be careful out there. And remember what we said."

I nodded, the images of certain battle strategies flashing through my mind. "You got it," I answered, the confidence in my voice forced.

"And Set…" Osiris gestured to his brother, his expression weary. "Just…behave yourself."

The god rolled his red-rimmed, blood-shot eyes as he scoffed indigently. "Psh, you make it sound like I'm going to run rampant through the streets."

We stared at him.

"Okay, maybe I _have_ done that in the past, but that was a thousand years ago! Besides, no harm was done! Just a few burned buildings in Carthage..."

"Wasn't Carthage completely oblivated by Roman forces in the Third Punic War?" Josh asked. Thankfully, Shu, the god of the air, was able to grant him internet connection for his iPhone. The screen now featured a wiki page of the three Punic Wars and a painting of the soot covered remains of Carthage.

"Enough said," Isis, who had been silently observing the entire meeting, muttered.

Set glared in the goddess' direction, but remained silent, impressing us all.

Horus whistled. "Well then, who's in the mood to destroy some forces of chaos?"

There were various responses, all agreeing to Horus's statement. Well, everyone but Set. "Do we have time to stop for some lattes on the way?" he asked, yawning. "I'm exhausted."

"From doing what?" Sadie shouted in disbelief. "You've been filing your nails all day!"

"They're_ claws!_" Set objected. "And watching this pathetic crowd? Please, every battlefield needs some action. Watching people plan to kill each other is _so_ dull. We need some _excitement!_ Besides, you know how Sobek gets once caffeine has entered his system. He'll be indestructible!"

"He'll also murder dozens of _us _in the process," Bast muttered. "Remember the last time he drank coffee? The Nile overflowed!"

"Please, that was nothing. You should have seen him last New Year's Eve-"

"This isn't a laughing matter, Set," my dad helpfully pointed out.

"You're absolutely right, Osiris," the god of chaos agreed. "It's only funny until someone gets hurt…Then it's hysterical."

"_Set!_"

"Kidding! Jeesh, just trying to lighten the mood."

Sadie rolled her eyes, hefting the Book of Ra into the Duat before glaring in the god's direction."Are you always this stupid, or are you making a special effort today, since it's the end of the world?"

Set's face turned into a mask of mock shock. Or, at least, I hoped it was a mask. "How did you _know?"_

"Enough," Dad interjected. "No one is getting coffee, and no one is laughing. This is serious. Besides, we don't have time for a coffee break," he added as an afterthought, as if he had already considered it and discovered that it was impossible.

"According to Thoth," Uncle Amos observed, "we only have fifteen minutes before the solar eclipse—when the moon will block out the sun. Time isn't on our side. We have to keep moving."

"If time isn't on our side," a trainee interjected, "then what _is?"_

"A fully equipped magician-god army of mass destruction, that's what." Thoth smoothed down his lab coat before continuing, "They won't even see it coming. It completely defies—"

"—_nature?"_ Set suggested.

"I was going to say tradition, but yes, _human _nature works as well."

"That's not what I meant," Set muttered, glaring at Desjardins as he poked at a soldier figurine on the board, pushing it towards the mouth of an enormous demon.

"The battle's about to begin," Osiris announced, glancing up at Thoth's hologramic clock. "Remember what we said, and all will go as planned. We cannot, and will not, allow the Nine bows defeat us once more."

"Wait, the nine what?" Sadie asked, sounding completely lost. "I thought we weren't using bow and arrows! I haven't even practiced my nonexistent archery skills!"

My dad chuckled. Thoth, his eyes gleaming, approached her, his hands shaking with the excitement of sharing his knowledge he so frequently kept to himself.

"Allow me to elaborate. The Nine Bows, in ancient Egypt, were the traditional enemies of the empire. As time passed, so did the enemies. Now, the spot of Rome and nomadic tribes have been replaced by the Embodiment of Chaos, our top priority. Now, it's not the empire at stake. It's the fate of the world."

"Don't remind me," Sadie muttered, nervously pulling at her red streak of hair.

"Alright," Horus bellowed, taking this as his cue. His voice, loud and penetrating, seemed to echo over the battlefield, making sure he was heard. "Everyone to their divisions. Legion leaders, be ready. Chaos is upon us."

"Finally," Set murmured, adjusting his battle armor.

Osiris raised his khopesh, facing the blaring sun. "For Ma'at!" he cried, his powerful voice carrying over the crowd.

The soldiers, magicians and gods alike, lifted their weapons. In one voice, they shouted, "For Ma'at!" and dispersed.

The battle of the end was about to begin.

*::*::*

So, when someone tells you that an onslaught of demons capable of unfathomable power is headed in your direction, your first thought would obviously be "_Run for your lives!"_

Unfortunetly, if we all headed for the hills, everyone would die.

So, that only left choice number two: fight. And that outcome probably wouldn't differ much from the first.

In other words, no matter what choice we made, humanity was screwed.

While searching and unsuccessfully finding my assigned division, Sadie ran up from behind me, her red streaked hair sticking out of her bronze helmet. Everyone was required to wear one, not that I expected anyone to be using arrows in this battle, but I decided it would be better not to question their authority.

Along with her battle armor and wand, my sister was ready to inflict some serious damage. Now, if you're a brother, then you know how frightening the image of your sister, armed and dangerous, is in your nightmares. Now you may be able to understand why I flinched when I saw Sadie Kane looking overly threatening and holding a sharp, deadly object. One surge of anger over a past argument, and things could get ugly.

But when I saw her black, leather combat boots clashing with her silver breastplate and bronze shield, I couldn't suppress a smile.

"Nice shoes," I commented, grinning like an idiot. "Maybe the demons will retreat simply because they were blinded by your fashion statement."

Sadie rolled her eyes. "Please. Says the guy whose definition of fashion was to look like an old man, even through the adolescence stage."

"I didn't look old!" I objected. "It's called looking presentable. Besides, anyone whose read any fashion magazine or TV add on this planet knows that black clashes with brown and silver."

"You read fashion magazines?" Sadie questioned, blue eyes widening in mock surprise. "Tell me, what's your preference: Vogue or Glamour?"

"Shut up!"

"Woah," Zia exclaimed, coming up from behind Sadie. "Carter reads Glamour?"

I moaned but secretly savored the moment; the three of us joking around, possibly for the last time. I guess Dooms Day has a way of bringing you down.

"What are you guys doing here anyway?" I asked, ignoring Sadie's laughter. "We better get to our positions—"

"Please, don't be such a worry wart," Sadie scoffed, back to her usual self. "The demons won't arrive for another five minutes. Rubbish planning if you ask me. How can you have the element of surprise on your side when gods can use magic to _see you coming?_"

"Well, when you know you're going to win no matter what, you don't need to surprise your enemies," I pointed out. "They're already scared out of their witts."

My sister shrugged. "I see you point. Only we're obviously going to win, so the joke's on them."

Before I could launch into a lecture on overconfidence, Zia, shaking her head in disbelief, said "Carter, I mean—that...that was just—"

"Uh, how about _outrageously awesome!_" Sadie suggested, beaming at me.

"Yes, _awesome_," Zia agreed, though she said "awesome" like it was a strange and foreign word to her. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Thanks," I replied, praying that the warmth I was experiencing was from the oppressive heat and not from blushing like an idiot. "You did pretty well yourself."

Zia looked away, her cheeks reddening in what I assumed was either the affects of heat stroke or possibly a blush. I hoped for the latter.

"And what about me?" Sadie exclaimed. "I showed those magicians who's boss."

"Yeah, and you nearly got us killed in the process," I pointed out.

"All in a day's work, dear brother."

I rolled my eyes while attentively listening for the gong that was supposed to sound, signaling us to our divisions.

"When did you come up with that?" asked Sadie, who seemingly forgot she was only moments away from certain death. "It was…"

"Awesome?" Zia suggested.

"Yeah! _Awesome!_" she agreed. "Where did you hear all that stuff about teamwork and gods and magicians anyway?"

"A powerful god told me," I answered, looking up at the sky and hoping, as impossible as it sounds, that Ra heard me.

"That's just plain awesome," Sadie murmured.

"We already clarified that it was awesome. No need to be _redundant_, Miss Kane," a voice scolded from behind us. When I turned, I saw the retreating figure of Desjardins. Even though I couldn't see his face, I knew he was smiling.

There was a moment of stunned silence. "That little bastard!" Sadie shouted, her face a mask of disbelief and anger. "Who does he think he—"

"Did he just _compliment_ you?" Zia interrupted, sounding shocked. "He called your speech—"

"Who cares," I said, though I couldn't help but wonder. "We better get going. The demons will be here—"

"Oh, right," Sadie shifted uncomfortably. "I'll just leave you two...alone. Um, bye."

Then, turning her back on me, my sister shuffled towards the crowd. And I might never see her again.

"Sadie—" I began, my voice catching at the thought.

She paused, glancing over her shoulder. "Yeah?"

I stared at her, letting the memories of Sadie and I flash before me. Mom, Sadie, and I eating applesauce and reading about astronomy. Us and Dad touring muesuems, Sadie popping her bubblegum along the way. Me and my sister at the aquirum, making faces at the fish. Her sixth birthday party. Our last Christmas Eve with Dad. Saving the world against Set. Finding the Book of Ra. All of that, possibly coming to an end.

"Just..." I sighed. "Just be careful out there, Sadie."

She grinned. "You too, Carter."

"I..."

I was going to say that I loved her, which was true, but couldn't bring myself to say it. We had a silent pact: never use the L word. Still, I wanted her to know.

Sadie nodded, understanding. "Me too."

"Carter," Zia began as I watched Sadie's retreating form disappear into the crowd. "I—"

Then I turned around, expecting to talk to Zia, but instead, coming face to face with a total stranger.

Wait, not a stranger. It was—

"Hi! It's _Charlotte_," the trainee, _Charlotte_, greeted, pronouncing her name like I was too stupid to remember it, let alone understand what she was saying.

"Oh, uh, hi Charlotte," I said awkwardly, trying to see behind her curly hair, hoping Zia was standing behind her. Unfortunately, it seemed that Charlotte fixed her hair before the battle, because it was abnormally puffy. No Zia in sight.

"What are you looking at?" she demanded, a hint of suspicion creeping into her grating voice.

"I, uh, um—"

"Oooh, my _hair_," Charlotte exclaimed, patting her mass of curls affectionately. "Yeah, I put some product in it. You like it?"

"Um, sure," I replied, barely deciphering what she was saying. Only four more minutes. Zia, I needed to find Zia. To tell her—

"_Tell her _what,_ Carter?" _my conscience questioned.

I inwardly moaned. The last thing I needed was my own _conscience_ mocking me. Then again, it had a point. What _did_ I want to tell Zia?

_It doesn't matter_, I thought, feeling like an idiot by replying to myself. _I have to find her first._

I coughed forcibly, eyes searching desperately for an escape. "Yeah. Anyway, I sort of have to—"

"Odds are we aren't going to survive this," Charlotte randomly blurted, tugging on a tendril of hair that had somehow escaped the curly mess.

Well, that was an unexpected response. Then again, she _was_ telling the truth. "Yup," I replied, wondering where this was going.

"Yeah…well, since I'm probably gonna die—"

"Don't talk like that, Charlotte," I interjected. Yes, I know it was hypocritical, but hey, at least I didn't state my pessimistic opinions aloud.

Charlotte, of course, didn't listen to a word I said. Hair bobbing, she continued,"—I thought, 'What the heck? I'll just tell him.' It's not like I have anything to lose, right?"

_Huh? _"Wait—tell me what?" I asked, preparing for some horrible, life changing news. Did the magicians have second thoughts? Was Apophis about to rise? Was Sadie okay? Did they lose the Book of Ra? A thousand questions formed in my mind, but before I ask a single one of them, Charlotte took a step towards me, determination in her bright green eyes.

She took a deep breath, as if she was preparing to admit to murderer. Leaning towards me, she whispered, "It's just…I like you, Carter. People say I have no taste, but I like you."

Stunned silence. This hadn't been what I was expecting. "Um…_thanks?"_

Charlotte, oblivious to my growing discomfort (and possibly the fact that she'd just insulted me, or so I hoped), continued, her words spilling out of her mouth faster than Sadie could inhale a plate of cannoli. "Okay, maybe I've had a crush on you ever since I got here. But nothing's wrong with that, right? I mean, you're smart and cute and talented and all, but it's just a little crush, right? Still, I thought I'd just let you know, you know?"

Dooms Day was getting worse by the second. Then again, what did I expect? World peace? A box of chocolate? Flowers?

More than desperate at this point, I tried to walk around her, only to be blocked by a girl who wore makeup to a desert in the middle of nowhere to fight demonic forces.

"Woa woa woa. Listen, Charlotte, I don't—I mean, I appreciate it and everything, but I—"

Charlotte sighed. "Listen, I know this is a stressful time and everything, and it's not like I expected you to say anything, but I just thought you should, like, know."

"Well…I officially know now," I answered, way out of my comfort zone.

"So…yeah." I habitually ran my hand through my hair, trying to think of a way out of this. Three minutes now. I needed to find Zia. My dad was right; time certainly wasn't on our side.

"Um..." I began, "I'm about to lead a division of armed magicians and engage in war against Chaos, so if you don't mind—"

"Wait!" she interjected. "Before you do..."

Her mouth, that Crest White Strip commercial worthy mouth, came towards me. Instinctively, I backed up, only to hit an abandoned crate someone had left behind.

I was trapped.

"Charlotte—"

Gods, why was I so bad at this? Why couldn't it be Zia who—

And that's when I was attacked. And I don't mean by some god, or a magician, or even a demon. No, I mean this girl _attacked_ me.

Or, at least, she tried. One second her face is an inch from mine, and the next she's falling into me at full speed, the top of her forehead hitting my chin, nearly knocking me off balance.

"Ow!" we cried in unison, leaping away from each other before anyone could notice.

"_Ohmuhgod_," Charlotte gasped, furiously patting down her curly brown mane.

Before I could even register what happened, Zia was in front of me, smiling sweetly in our direction.

"Oops. Sorry honey, I tripped. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Charlotte blinked, her eyes narrowing in Zia's direction; suspicion in her sea green eyes. "Um…no."

"Well, try not to kill Kane here. We need him." Zia replied, somehow managing to look intimidating and beautiful at the same time.

The brunette's cheeks burned bright crimson before stuttering, "I-I won't."

"Good."

"Zia—" I began, but I was talking to air. She had already disappeared into the crowd.

I swore, leaping away from Charlotte.

"Call me!" she cried, her voice fading as I broke into a run. Only I didn't answer. There was only one person I wanted to talk to.

*::*::*

Call me stupid, but I didn't report to my division directly after the Charlotte confrontation. Instead, I followed Zia into the mass of armed soldiers, clueless to where she was going.

"Zia! Zia, wait up!" I shouted, but either she didn't hear me—which was hard to believe, since I was only a few feet behind—or she was purposely avoiding me. The latter, unfortunately, was more likely.

Finally, after knocking over a total of four trainees, slamming into three magicians, and nearly knocking Sobek off balance, I managed to catch up with her.

I reached forward, my hand finding her arm. Then I pulled, bringing Zia to a halt. Somehow we'd found the reed boat, now desolate and extremely out of place in the middle of the desert. At least it provided some privacy; whatever I was planning on saying to Zia, I was pretty sure I was gonna sound like an idiot and embarrass myself. Therefore, the smaller audience I had, the better.

"Zia, just wait up, okay? I need to—"

"What you need to do, Carter," Zia murmured,"is go back and talk to Curly back there. She obviously had something important to tell you."

For a second I simply stood there, staring dumbly at her back as I tried to figure out what she meant.

_Zia watches the Three Stooges? _I thought.

Then it hit me. "Wait, do you mean _Charlotte?_ Are you kidding me? I was trying to get _away_ from there! I should thank you, by the way. You saved my life. I thought she was going to—"

"Well, don't thank me," Zia interrupted. "I really _did_ trip. I was headed to my division—"

"The sixth division was in the opposite direction, Zia," I pointed out, remembering the map on the ping pong table.

Her amber eyes widened in embarrassment. "Well, I-I—"

"Listen, I'm glad you did," I said, not wanting to argue. "I wanted to tell you something."

Zia paused, staring at me. Then she sighed, apparently making a decision. And she wasn't happy about it. "I…I had something to tell you too."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I wanted to say…" She closed her eyes. "Just be careful out there, Kane."

"You too, Rashid."

"No, seriously," she said, glaring at me accusingly. "_Don't_ do anything stupid."

"Me?" I exclaimed, incredulous. "Do something stupid? This is Carter Kane you're talking to."

Zia stared at me.

"Okay, maybe I sometimes do things that _may_ be considered illogical—"

"You mean _stupid_—" Zia interjected, a grin on her face.

"Whatever. I'll try not to jump off any cliffs, okay?"

Her amber eyes studied me, and for a second, I thought she was going to say something else. Then the gong rung out, silencing everyone; signaling us to get to our positions.

I turned back to wish her good luck and maybe—_just_ maybe—tell her how I felt, but the space she had once occupied was empty.

I was alone.

Swallowing down my disappointment, I turned toward the battlefield with the sickening feeling that I'd never see Zia again.

She was gone, and I hadn't gotten the chance to say goodbye.

*::*::*

Somehow I managed to make it back to division twelve with a minute and a half to spare. Thoth, still in his barbecue-stained lab coat, stood beside me, eyes on the horizon.

"Any final words of wisdom before we die today?" I asked, trying to keep my hands from shaking.

Thoth shrugged. "We may not die, you know."

"Well, yeah," I agreed, "but-"

"Listen, Carter. We aren't completely doomed. Miracles _have_ happened in the past."

I guess he had a point. I mean, Justin Bieber eventually went through puberty, Sadie shut up for a world record of five minutes, and Bast ate anything but Friskies for an entire week (I definitely regretted _that_ bet.) If miracles could happen, I certainly hadn't experienced one.

Thoth, reading my mind, smiled sympathetically. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that miracles _can_ happen, no matter how improbable they may seem."

I sighed, adjusting my armor in a feeble attempt to calm my nerves."Any other words of wisdom you can bestow on me before this thing?"

Thoth pondered on that for a moment as he adjusted his sheath around his lab coat. "Hm…I don't, actually. But never fear; there's always light at the end of the tunnel, Carter. Let's just pray it's not a train."

I rolled my eyes, but he reminded me so much of Ra, I couldn't help but smile. "Can you ever be serious?" I asked, biting my lip so I wouldn't start laughing.

"Never be serious in life. No one gets out alive anyway."

Then the gong sounded again, signaling that there was only a minute left until they arrived.

Only a minute before we'd engage in a hopeless battle. And after the battle, if we were still alive…

"Don't do it, Carter," Thoth said, no louder than a whisper.

"Huh?"

"I know what you're thinking, son. Whatever you're going to do, no matter how right it may feel, it isn't right."

Now I was confused. "Wait…" I began, "you know about the-the—"

"Prophecy?" the god asked. "Of course I do. Ra and I were rather close, you know. Taught me everything he knew. Or, at least, that's what I like to believe."

"But if it's a prophecy, then why wouldn't it be true?" I questioned. "They tell the future, don't they?"

"Yes," Thoth answered, "and no. They simply tell what _could_ be, Carter, though it almost certainly happens. Gastly things, I say. I mean, if you tell a hero that he or she is predestined to descend into a pit of darkness, then obviously they're going to be pressured into doing so. It's simply cause and effect. Now, there's always the possibility that that hero will refuse to follow their destiny. And then the course of the universe will be altered—whether for the good or the bad, who knows? We'll find out only when it happens.

"History is full of failed prophecies, Carter," he continued. "Not all of them ended badly. If Martin Luther King Jr. had gone with the flow—the regular course of history—and done nothing about black rights, there may still be segregation here in the States. If scientists hadn't decided to try to go to space and were discouraged by the risks, Man would have never stepped foot on the moon. And if there hadn't been random mutations in organisms, then natural selection wouldn't have selected that mutation, and the species never would have evolved. Then again, those occur randomly, not by choice, so I guess that doesn't really support my theory—but you get what I'm saying, right?"

He lost me at "natural selection."

"Um...that I'm a mutant?" I guessed.

Thoth sighed. "Hardly. My point, Carter, is that your father was right. You always have a choice. You're in control of your destiny, whether you know it or not."

"So you're saying I shouldn't go through with it?" I realized. "The Prophecy, I mean."

"No. I guess…I guess what I'm saying is that you do have control over your fate, no matter what the prophecy is presumably predicting. The Fates may be cruel, but they're not murderous. These prophecies aren't always what they seem. They're two-faced; they have double meanings. So my final piece of advice to you, Carter? Don't feel trapped by your prophecy, by your so-called destiny. Use it. Make it turn out in your favor, carve it into something amazing; something you can use. Prophecies make it seem like you're out of options—that there's only one door you can chose. But that's hardly the case. It's just an illusion. Use it to create your own door, Carter. Find your own way out. Escape your so-called destiny and save the world at the same time."

"Well, not that this wasn't moving and all, but I have no experience in the prophecy field," I admitted. "I hardly even know what they _are_, let alone how to use it to benefit myself."

"They're like riddles," Thoth clarified. "Think of this as a test, Carter; not just of your ingenuity, but of your determination. Your selflessness. Your soul. And, if I may be so bold, I must say that after observing this specific situation, my scientific interpretation is that you've already passed this exam. You were willing to give your life for a cause, no matter what happened to you; to walk into a situation you knew you couldn't win, and do it anyway. That, Carter, proves that you have the soul of a true hero.

"Now show those demons that you're more than just a magician; you're a Kane. Carter Kane. Prove to those Fates that they have no control over your destiny; _you_ do. Get what I mean?"

"No," I replied honestly. "But I appreciate it. Thanks."

The god shrugged. "No problem. Oh, and that last bit of information Ra gave you? Best not forget it. If the King of the Gods told you to do something, you do it. Even if he may already cease to exist."

"Wait!" I exclaimed before Thoth could leave. "How do you know about—"

"Whoops, I think I hear the erratic movement of demons in the distance," he noted. "Must be off. Good luck, Carter. Don't forget what I said."

And then he was vanished into thin air, just as the final gong rung out through the battlefield; the one that signified the beginning of the end. The demon army was upon us.

Complete silence followed. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath, waiting in anticipation and fear; waiting for Death to arrive.

For what seemed like an eternity, we waited. And waited. Until we heard it, the sound of thunder. Only it wasn't thunder—not under a cloudless sky. It was the sound millions of demons make, claws over sand, metal swords clashing against armor.

And as the moon appeared, inching its way towards the sun, I realized that the time had come. It seemed like years ago when I had glanced at the moon and thought of it as a clock, counting down the days till our destruction. Now we had only minutes. But maybe, just maybe, each second that passed wasn't bringing us closer to the Apocalypse. Maybe we weren't predestined to fail, and Apophis wasn't going to rise. Maybe it was counting down to something completely different, and we just needed to make it happen; control our own destinies by working together and kicking some demon butt. Sure, we might be hopelessly outnumbered, but like Thoth said, miracles can happen. Maybe even on Doom's Day.

Well, we'll find out soon enough.

And as Apophis's demonic forces swarmed over the dunes, I knew what I had to do; fight like I never fought before, no matter the cost.

In seconds, the red sand of Egypt was no longer visible, and thousands upon thousands of creatures, clawed and leathery, took its place.

Death had finally arrived.

"Here goes nothing," I murmured, so softly that no one but myself could hear. Then, gathering all the courage I could muster, I shouted, "_For Ma'at!_" and plunged into the battle before me, my division close behind.

*::*::*

**AHHH! WHAT WILL HAPPEN? Actually...I know what's going to happen. This, my friends, is one of the few benefits of devoting your time to a fanfic :)**

**I'll try to update next weekend (notice that I am not saying this week. That's because I know for certain I will be too preoccupied to do anything remotely entertaining.) ****I'm going to try to finish this a little after my birthday or at least before Halloween. **Speaking of awesome things: I'M MEETING RICK RIORDAN!...again ;) He's coming near my state for Olympian Week which just so happens to be the week of my birthday (FATE!) and I've already signed up to go! o.o True, I saw him only five months ago for the Throne of Fire Tour, but still! I AM VERY EXCITED! Any ideas for questions to ask him? I tried asking him about what path of the gods he'd take (Geb) but I stuttered too much to ask another. I need ideas! Leave them in PMs or reviews if you want your question answered! 

**Adios! Oh, and don't forget to review. Only three chapters left! :)**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	28. Chapter 28

**I updated. It took me a month, but I updated...WOOHOO! :D What an accomplishment! Anyway, I may have to change the rating of this fanfic because of this chapter...I don't know. Tell me what you think :) Oh, and those who have finished the Son of Neptune, I envy you! I'm only on page 400 something, waiting for Percy's chapters, however brief they may be. SO HAPPY PERCY'S IN IT! Frank and Hazel? Not so much. Stupid backstabbing Nico...and to think I named my fanfiction account after his favorite card game -_- Anyway, enjoy and stuff. But beware, this is _not_ a happy chapter.**

C

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Apophis' army was finally upon us. There were thousands of them, virulent and angry as they clutched their weapons of mass destruction. A sickening feeling accumulated in the pit of my stomach, like waiting for an approaching wave that grows and grows until its right on top of you, and there's no way to escape in time. All you can do is ride it out and hope it doesn't consume you.

Swarming over the dunes, they raced towards our gathering of gods and magicians, now small compared to the massive legion of demons. Gulping, I noted how they crushed anything that rested in their path, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake. Even rocks didn't stand a chance. Their brains must have been wired to go only in one direction: forward, which just so happened to be the position of our army. Go figure.

I swallowed hard, my hands slipping on the handle of my _khopesh_, now drenched with sweat. Unfortunately, it wasn't from the heat. Everyone around me seemed to have the same problem, nervously wiping sweat from their brows.

We ran, shouting as loud as our throats would allow. By the time we reached their front lines, my voice was reduced to a mere whisper, no longer capable of the maximum volume of my peers.

Then, just as our forces were in mid-swing, ready to strike the demons down; their army simultaneously came to a halt. It was as if they weren't individuals, but one mind.

Our forces, sadly, wasn't as graceful. We screeched to a halt, nearly tripping over each other in the process. Somehow, no one fell and impaled themselves with their swords. For that, I was thankful. It definitely wouldn't have ignited the frightening, threatening image we were shooting for.

Now, although I don't have much experience being a normal human being, I know for a fact that this wasn't humanely possible. Then again, they were demons, so I shouldn't have been surprised. Still, they shouldn't have been capable of coming to such an abrupt halt. There could only be one explanation, I realized, after struggling to draw a conclusion: _Apophis._

I cursed, clutching the handle of my wand in my left hand, fingers nervously twitching towards the enemy. Apophis hadn't only been powerful enough to manipulate the mind of Set. He'd also brainwashed millions of demons, now mindless pawns, ready to engage in a battle simply because of Apophis' will.

Before I could inform my division of my newly acquired knowledge, a demon, the one Sadie had described in her vision, stood before us at the head of the army of chaos, a smirk etched across his grotesque face. His entire body was covered in gashes and scales, green and glistening in the light of surrounding torches. Acidic, green eyes bore into the crowd, briefly resting on me before averting his gaze towards my father.

Just seeing him made me want to attack, to lead my division forward and strike each and every one of them down. But Osiris, in godly form, had ordered us to stand at the ready, his expression grim atop his chariot. Isis, her multicolored wings spread to their full length, observed the scene, looking attentive and dangerous beside my dad.

"Servant of Chaos," the god said, voice stony.

"Osirisss," the demon greeted casually, as if he was unaware of the two armies around him. "Long time no see. How's Khonsu doing? I haven't seen him since he gave me this," Servant reached into the air, producing what looked like a silver and gold locket in the shape of a key with a clock embedded in its center.

The gods around me, mostly minor, growled. My dad, however, remained expressionless. "What do you want, demon? I know you didn't stop your army here to ask about the moon god."

"Ah, Osirisss. Always right to the point," Servant muttered. "You're correct, however. I didn't pause my legions of chaosss to chat. You'll have to forgive me; I hadn't anticipated such a…_diverse_ audience to be gathered here on this gloriousss day."

"Didn't quite meet your expectations?" Isis asked, flipping her hair back as she lifted her chin in the air. "Shame."

Servant of Chaos laughed. "On the contrary, Isisss, you _exceeded_ our expectations. Then again, our expectationsss weren't too high to begin with."

The demons snickered, their fangs flashing as they grinned.

"Anyway, I stopped to give you a sssecond chance," Servant continued. "You know how much I _despissse_ violence, Osiris. My master would like to avoid it at _all_ costsss."

I scoffed, as did a number of the others.

The creature, eyes shining with triumph, either didn't notice our sarcasm or didn't care. Still grinning, he said, "You've been corrupted by these _Kanesss_. Join the Serpent's forcesss, and you will be rewarded in the forthcoming Golden Age."

"Um, I don't see how an age can be golden if there's no one alive to experience it," Bast pointed out, earning a number of nods and shouts of agreement. Her tail flicked back and forth impatiently, her claws unsheathing in irritation.

"Only the worthy will sssurvive," the demon replied, tongue flicking green poison as he spoke. "Whether you live or perish is up to you. Prove your loyalty to Chaosss or be annihilated by its supreme forcesss."

The word "NEVER!" erupted from the division, their outraged cries echoing over the crowd. Weapons were raised forcefully into the air, now thick with tension as the demons watched us in silence, waiting for their leader to answer.

Servant of Chaos sighed, as if we'd just taken an important exam and failed miserably. "Then I'm afraid I have no choice," he said, grating voice leaking fake pity. "Take one last look at this desolate planet, traitorsss. In momentsss, the Embodiment of Chaosss with be vindicated, and the world as you know it will be abolissshed."

"In English please!" I heard Sadie cry from somewhere to my right, exasperated. "God, do all you immortals read the dictionary as a pastime?"

The demon flashed a toothy smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You all shall perish. Look at the sssun, won't you, now disssorted by the darkness of the moon. This is foreshadowing what is to come. Darknesss will overcome Light, and Chaosss will overthrow Ma'at. Glance around while you can; this will be the last you sssee of your world. We _will_ take control, and the Serpent lord will become Earth'sss new ruler."

He raised his sword from its sheath, the acute edge gleaming in the torchlight. "Eternity belongsss to Chaosss, and those who oppose it will not live to sssee a new dawn."

Just then, a familiar voice interrupted my thoughts, and everything around me fell silent. For a moment, nothing could be heard but a soft hissing, growing louder and louder until they changed into a series of languages. The Serpent's disembodied voice had snaked into the minds of every magician, every trainee, and every god. For once, the crowd remained completely speechless.

"_The end hassss begun_," it whispered, grasping my thoughts, forcing me to listen. _"Chaossss is upon you. Savor these final hoursss, for Ma'at will have risssen before the day is done. Eternal darknessss awaits you once I, the Embodiment of Chaossss, walk the Earth once more."_

Gasps arose from the crowd, some covering their ears; their eyes wide with shock.

_"I _will_ rissssse, despite your pathetic forcesss,' _Apophis continued, his voice deafening. _ "I will rise. _I will RISSSSSE_—"_

Then it happened. The spell broke, the demon army rushed forward, and the sky went dark.

The war with Chaos had begun.

*::*::*

As our front lines clashed with the creatures of desctruction, I heard a magician praying beside me, his eyes alight with fear.

"We're doomed!" he cried. "_We're doomed!"_

The desert, once silent, was now filled with the deafening cry of millions of demons. Over the din, I could hear my dad shouting to us, erging us forward. Desjardins, leading the magicians, crashed into the demons with vigorous force, his face streaked with green blood and ash.

Enormous creatures, flurries of arrows embedded in their coarse grey hide, swallowed dozens of soldiers whole, their cries of agony abruptly muffled as their jaws closed. Dragon-like demons with long, scaly trunks roared, searing the battlefield with a single exhalation of breath. Dozens of nearby gods and magicians ignited, others casting a deflection charm just in time. Most weren't so lucky.

They didn't all look like a threat. There was one monster capable of the ability to assimulate to the surrounding crowd by morphing its appearance to seem like an ordinary soldier. Some looked as human as I do, dressing in black clothing and clutching their own wooden wands. But whenever someone would enter a ten foot radius of the creature, they would become completely under its influence. Once you entered its clutches, you were doomed. Restricted by the demon's power, they would attempt to run, only to find themselves slow and lethargic, their movements languid. Then the monster would leisurely approach, sword in hand, and perform the killing blow.

Eyes burning from the acrid smoke, I sprinted through the crowd, eyes darting left and right. There were too many opponents, too many people in need of rescue.

Too many people I had to leave behind.

I couldn't stop; I needed to destroy as many demons as I could. And that's exactly what I did.

I'm not going to embellish the experiences I endeared that day. When I try to remember, I can't. Everything was just a blur of metal, blood, smoke, and flames. All sounds were incoherent and lost beneath the din; an inharmonious chorus of anguished cries, roars, and screams of agony.

It didn't matter though; in time, I lost my hearing all together.

To my credit, my casting had improved. I simply needed to envision the spell I wanted and then, with a flick of my wand and the word formed on my lips, light erupted from the wood and struck my opponent. I never waited to see if they survived or not. It was always a killing blow.

Several times I encountered demons of massive size and strength, others with long, sharp talons and fangs. Many lacked skin and organs. Some were formless; composed of nothing but smoke, nearly impossible to kill.

Each time I escaped, usually with the help of fellow warriors. Most of them didn't emerge victorious unharmed; some didn't survive at all. There was no time to rejoice or make sense of what was going on, that much I can remember. It was just move, move, move; never stop. Well, I guess you _could_ relax, but there were requirements: loss of limbs, organs, or life to name a few. Since all of my internal and external organs remained in tacked, I moved on. Usually I commanded my division, its number rapidly dwindling as we pushed through the mass of destruction.

However, one event is always the first to come to mind. I remember it with clarity, the feeling of dread washing over me as it replays before my eyes.

One creature, covered in a matted mass of coarse fur, blocked my path while I attempted to stab a nearby vampiric demon who, teeth bared, descended upon a weaponless trainee. Desperate, I struck the monster with the strongest spell I could think of, trying in vain to reach the kid in time. The monster collapsed, releasing a jaw-rattling roar of despair that reverberated throughout the field. Path cleared, I leaped over its corpse to the location of the fallen trainee. But, instead of meeting a six foot winged creature and a twelve year old child, I found nothing but a small heap on the ground.

"Oh gods," I whispered, knowing no god would hear me, not down here; not while we _all_ were fighting for our lives.

I kneeled, pushing him on his side to expose his neck. Vision blurred, I placed my index finger on his vein to check the nonexistent pulse. The boy remained still.

Bringing my hand to my face, I felt the sticky, wet substance that covered my finger, radiating the metallic smell of blood.

"Oh gods," I repeated, choking out the words. It was Josh, his iPhone cracked from beneath him, blue eyes uncommonly vacant.

Normally I would have moved on. It was a battle for Thoth's sake, I couldn't pause at every corpse I stumbled upon, despite how much I longed to. Was it someone I knew? What if they were still alive? None of that mattered, not here, not now.

But Josh was different. I'd trained him hours on end back at the 21st Nome. I'd cooked for him and his peers every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for dinner. I tutored him in Egyptian history every night, not because I was forced to, but because I enjoyed it. Josh was always attentive, willing to learn anything he could. He even smiled whenever I'd place his supper before him, despite the fact that my cooking was anything but mouthwatering. He was a good kid though, always complimenting me, saying I was improving and thanking me for the meal.

Taking off his jacket, I covered his face, closing his eyes before muttering a short Egyptian prayer my dad had taught me before my Mom's funeral. I hadn't even gotten to the second verse when my inner radar went off, alerting me to a demonic presence behind me. In one fluid motion, I stood and swung an arch with my _khopesh_, slicing the vampire in mid decent, its wings folding on impact. It fell to the sandy floor with a thump, landing beside Josh's body before it exploded in a shower of dust.

"Go to hell," I whispered, whipping my bloodied hands on my jeans. Then I leaped into battle once more, Josh's limp body momentarily forgotten.

*::*::*

Despite the fact that demons spontaneously combust in death, the battlefield was still littered with bodies, all close friends and allies. I tried not to dwell on it; pausing only to fight demons or retrieve my sword that constantly slipped out of my bloody, sweat-covered palms.

By the end of the battle, the light from my wand was reduced to a mere shower of sparks, the spells weak and less effective. Zia's shields, however, proved to be a powerful asset to our forces. I simply had murmur a short charm, and my wand would morph into a spell deflecting shield, perfect for defense. It had saved my life, more than once, actually. But hours later, I was too exhausted to mutter the spell, let alone hold the shield. Somehow, I still managed to shout orders to surrounding soldiers, pointing out the closest enemy and pushing them towards what could have possibly been their death.

"Redouble your efforts!" I ordered to a group of magicians, huddled together behind an overthrown chariot. In an instant, they leaped to their feet and charged towards the enormous demon.

"Come on, use the counter spell against him! _Move, move, move!"_

Wiping the sweat from my brow, I casted yet another spell towards an oncoming force of monsters. And I thought timed math tests were stressful. Then again, the last time I took a math test was in second grade, but that's beside the point. You're life wasn't on the line when you added one plus two.

"You!"

"M-me?" a boy, probably thirteen years old, stammered.

"Yeah, you. Send the first raid to quell the _bau _demons. Then tell Collin to_—_"

"Collin's dead," he interjected, his voice stony.

Taken aback, I replied, "Uh, then send the third to attack them from behind_—_"

"The third raid's gone, sir."

For a second I thought I'd heard wrong. "What do you mean 'gone?'"

The boy sniffled, his eyes wet from grief. Turning from me, he whispered, "They're dead. Deceased. Pushing up daises. They ain't fighting no bau demons."

And that's how the battle went. Me ordering and fighting, others dueling and dying. Eventually, after what seemed like days, I began to see what looked like the end of the battle.

The desert, once teeming with forces of chaos, began to settle. I couldn't tell how many we'd lost, but it certainly wasn't a few.

In the midst of all the destruction, I occasionally saw Zia in my perpetual vision, her sun-sparked helmet illuminating her head like a halo; her olive-colored skin luminous against the soot and ash. But, I realized as I paused to catch my breath, hours had passed since my last Zia-sighting.

And the war wasn't over yet.

Before I could enter another duel, I heard Desjardins calling my name. Turning, I noticed his limping figure coming toward me, wand at the ready.

"Your father wants you back at the dome!" he shouted, shoulders slumped in fatigue. "Bring what's left of your division. Hurry before it's too—"

Just then, Desjardins gasped, his body jerking forward. Meeting my eyes, he shot me a message all too clear; _go_. Then, lips still parted, his brown eyes rolled back.

There was no one near enough to stop his fall.

An upright demon with frog legs and moist, slimy skin leaped from his body, leaving the pointed fang of a fallen demon protruding from the Chief Lector's back.

I drew a complex hieroglyphic in the air, identical to the one I had used in my battle with the scaguarke. The encounter, only a few days in the past, was now nothing but a distant memory. Raising my hands towards the amphibian, I pushed forward, clutching nothing but air. The creature flew backwards instantly, slamming into a mammoth-like creature behind him, exploding in a shower of ash.

Scanning the battlefield, I called what was left of my division backward towards the dome. Then I ran, not waiting to see if anyone was following.

*::*::*

By the time I had arrived at the Rising Site, the battle had decreased drastically. There was still fighting, of course, but it wasn't even close to the amount of violence that had occured hours before.

About thirty magicians and gods had followed me to the dome, deserting their opponents to run towards the location Apophis was expected to emerge from.

Sadie, already present, raised the Book of Ra above her head, her blue eyes closed in concentration. I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if a massive load had been lifted off my shoulders. After witnessing the deaths of so many comrades, I couldn't help but worry about my little sister.

Unable to restrain myself, I sprinted toward her, forgetting about the battle behind me.

"Sadie!" I called, my voice strained from the constant shouting in the battlefield. She turned, a grin speading across her scarred face. The ash that blanketed her features made her almost unrecognizable, but I could spot Sadie anywhere. Her red highlights shown brighter than ever against her blond hair.

"Survived, I see," she remarked, her eyes glistening. "You arrived just in time. I was about to purge the circle of any demonic energy before I begin the spell."

"Okay—" I began. Then, failing to understand her foreign words, asked, "Wait, demonic _what?"_

"Evil," she clarified, wincing as her hair brushed a fresh wound above her left eyebrow. "I have to purify the area where I recite the spell or it won't work."

"Oh."

I finally took in my surroundings, doing a 360 of the dome before me. Someone has drawn a circle in what looked suspiciously like white field paint. Some gods and magicians had already begun to surround the Rising Site, expressions varying from hope and terror, eyes flicking from the dome to the battlefield. Many stood frozen in position, indecisive. Afraid to turn from the fighting, they stood back to back, weapons clamped close to their sides.

I glanced up toward the sky, now completely dark. If it weren't for the torches, we would have been consumed by the darkness.

Ash fluttered down from the heavens, snowflakes of destruction over a valley of death.

"What's going on?" I questioned. "Why were we ordered back here?"

"I need power," Sadie stated simply, habitually tugging on a strand of hair as she skimmed through the words on the crumpling papyrus. "A lot of it. Rally as many magicians and gods as you can and tell them to circle the dome while I perform the ritual. Then, with a little faith, trust, and pixy dust, we might be able to encase this serpent before suppertime."

"What about the rest of the demons?" I questioned. "We can't just stop fighting now!"

"Dad's already got that covered. Divisions one to five, seven, and nine are remaining on the field. Eleven through thirty have been reported to the Rising Site on Spell Duty. Didn't you hear the announcment?"

"No," I answered as a sickening feeling washed over me. "What about divisions six, eight, and ten? What are they going to do?"

Sadie abruptly dropped her gaze, glancing away from me as she fingered her hair nervously. "They...they won't be coming."

"What do you mean?" I demanded. "What happened to them?"

"Carter..." Sadie began, her eyes watering. "I...they...I mean-"

My knees nearly buckled as the realization hit me. Divisions six, eight, and ten weren't coming back because they were gone,_ permanently, _just like the third raid the boy had talked about. They'd been abolished, crushed by Apophis' demonic forces. Eyes watering, I struggled to remember the members of each division. Number eight, Uncle Amos' division. And number six...

"Zia," I whispered, eyes widening in shock as the scene that had occured only hours before flashed before me.

_"I really_ did _trip,"_ Zia had said, those beautiful amber eyes flashing in irration._ "I was headed to my division—"_

What had I answered? Then it hit me. The words reverberated through my mind, each proving my worst nightmares.

_"The sixth division is in the opposite direction, Zia."_

The sixth division.

_Zia's division._

Gone.

Zia had been killed, her entire force destroyed by the Serpent's demons. I would never see her again, never tell her how I felt.

And I hadn't gotten the chance to say goodbye.

*::*::*

**Okay, bring on the flames people. Yes, I know I said I wouldn't kill any characters. And yes, I am aware of the many zarter fangirls (and guys) who will probably hate me for this. But hey, I'm ONE of those fangirls! And who said she was dead? Who said she wasn't? Oh I am so evil...I wonder why I wasn't sorted into Slytherin (RAVENCLAW FOREVER!)**

**In other news, RICK RIORDAN a few weeks ago! IT WAS AWESOME. Well, besides waiting two hours in the back of a Barnes and Noble in the cold eating nothing but frozen chicken wings from a local Chili's...*sigh* I love book signings :D Unfortunately, it was all rush, rush, rush. All he did was sign his squiggle (I think it says RR...I'm not positive though ;) and say, "Thanks for coming. Have a good day!" I don't blame him though. I'm surprised his hand wasn't falling off. I mean, over 3,000 copies? I would have died. Anyway, I've never been so happy to receive a squiggle in my life :D**

**THREE MORE CHAPTERS! Yes, I changed it. I'm adding one more because I added a lot more to this chapter than I originally intended. Don't forget to review...and tell me how much you hate me for killing Zia...or if you think she's dead at all. o.o I'll update this weekend! **

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**


	29. Chapter 29

***awkward silence* So...hi. Um...I'm updating to this fanfic that I wrote...and am in the process of writing...you might have heard of it. It's called the Book of Ra and-what? It was on the eighth page of KC fanfictions, so you thought it was over? Well, I agree that for most fanfics, the eighth page is the equivalent of a cemetery, but I have defied the Eighth Page Theory! HUZZAH.**

**Every week I've been trying to work writing this chapter into my schedule, but between quizzes, tests, essays, clubs, and homework, I just wasn't able to do it. I have tried though, especially when I hit my one year anniversary on fanfiction (in November...so yeah. A while go.) Ah, how young and innocent I was back then ;) Anyway, here's the chapter, late as usual. I promise this will not happen again. Then again, my promises are never fulfilled...but that is my new year's resolution. UPDATE WHEN YOU SAY YOU WILL, MYTHOMAGIC! We'll see how that goes :) Enjoy! (10000 words. WOOHOO! Then again, it's the quality, not the quantity... I'll let you be the judge.)**

C

A

R

T

E

R

Everything was a blur. I vaguely remember gathering magicians and gods together, directioning them towards the dome, but it was like I was half asleep; I didn't really register what was going on. It was almost as if I was watching somebody else's life and not really living it. I just felt…dead. I mean, first I lost Josh, then Uncle Amos, and then Zia. Sure, I had experienced the severe animosity of war in the visions, but nothing could have prepared me for this.

For months now, all I could do was berate myself. I regretted not spending more time with my mother, hated myself for yelling at my father at the airport when I was six, wished I had told Zia how I felt before she crumpled to dust before my very eyes. Of course, it's possible that a miracle will happen and things will look up. I can speak from experience; I found Zia no more than-what, a week ago?- in that sarcophagus, and it was like the clouds had lifted. Little did I know she would be dead in a matter of days, and everything we had done would have been for nothing.

Leave it to the Embodiment of Chaos to rain on your little parade.

But even during the quest with bloodthirsty Spartans or French magicians breathing down our necks, no one was injured or hurt. It seemed too good to be true. Yet, as I stood in the middle of a battlefield, body (figuratively) weighted with the deaths of my comrades on my shoulders, things obviously weren't merry. Needless to say, I think the happiness train had passed this area long ago. And I certainly wasn't on it.

[Shut up, Sadie. Making stupid metaphors must be a symptom of post-battle trama, because I was obviously not at the peak of my sanity back then. Moving on!]

I shouldn't have been complaining, I know. But all I had left was Sadie, and the battle wasn't over yet. I couldn't guarantee her safety, or anyone else's for that matter. In fact, if I wanted to be a major Debbie Downer, I could have mentioned the fact that our nemesis had yet to emerge from his secluded dome in the middle of a desert in Alexandria. Oh, and don't forget that little detail about him being fully energized and more powerful than our miniscule craniums could ever begin to comprehend.

I'll apologize ahead of time for the lack of merriment and optimism. But hey, the battlefield isn't exactly the hub of joy and laughter [Sadie would like to inform you all that the hub of humor is, indeed, not the battlefield but Santa's workshop. Thus settles my long-term argument with Sadie: my sister's _brain, _although it is roughly three pounds and healthy, is not the center of inteligence nor is it the core of common sence. Instead, it houses the hub of insanity (and bubble gum, because all that Hubba Bubba has GOT to go somewhere.)]

My gods, I really _was_ losing it.

But my not-so-stable mind and pessimism aside, we really _were_ in a pickle. If the Serpent rose, we wouldn't have stood a chance. Everything we had done, all the lives that had been lost, would have been in vain.

And I couldn't let that happen.

The exhilarating rush of defiance, however, did little to allay my sorrows. Everything was crashing down, like the crumbling ceiling that cascaded upon us after we stole the Book of Ra. Or maybe it was like the water in front of Zia's tomb, slipping through my fingers. Once it was gone, it was gone. The past, like our lives if the Apophis rose, would be unobtainable, and the Earth would sink into chaos.

And, in the midst of this wondrous occasion filled with death and destruction, stood I, Carter Kane, who had lost everything. Well, everything but Sadie. I wasn't even sure if Bast had made it. My sister and I truly were alone. And what if I lost Sadie too?

I couldn't, I realized. Losing Sadie would be my breaking point, the last straw, the final hour. If I lost everyone I loved, I would have nothing worth fighting for.

Nothing worth _living_ for.

That's when it hit me. Sadie would die if I didn't descend into Apophis' lair. I don't know why or when-all I knew was that I had too. Like all prophecies, it was vague and would probably be shrouded in a veil of mystery until the last possible moment, when all would be revealed and I would enter the fiery pit of hell, aka Apophis' lair and my certain death. And people wonder why heroes despise prophecies (Granted, I'm no Hercules, but you get the idea.)

I mean, let's face it; we could only hold off Apophis for so long. And once the Serpent rose from that prison, everything we fought for would fail. The snake would swallow the sun, billions would perish, and the world would be covered in a blanket of ash.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. But if I could distinguish the fire...

"Sadie!" I called, jogging towards my sister, who was about to start the ritual.

She glanced up from the parchment, her eyes dark. "What is it now, Carter? I'm trying to-"

"Yeah, I know. I just wanted to say-"

"That you managed to make the once vacant Rising Site into a thriving center of fear and anxiety?" she asked, her tone caustic. "Yes, I can see that."

"You told me to bring them here!" I objected.

Sadie sighed. "I'm well aware. Just...please. Don't dwell on anything I say. I'm trying to unintentionally forget that I'm purposely leading these people to their almost-certain deaths while I attempt to perform a ritual older than my not-so-official boyfriend whom I shouldn't even be thinking of in the heart of this terror and desolation!"

I coughed, feigning smoke inhalation. "Um, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear the last bit of that rant and inform you that although this may be impossible, I believe in you." Before she could interrupt me, as usual, I continued, "Gods and magicians throughout the ages feared that Book, Sadie. Meanwhile, you've flung it across the room, shrunk it down to the size of a pocket dictionary, and have been avidly reading it since that time we were trapped in a living closet. Face it, Sadie. This Book is no match for you. Apophis will be imprisoned before Charlotte makes another comment about her hair."

I for one though this was rather motivating-at least until Sobek accidently sprayed his perfume near a burning chariot, causing the "Essence of Croc" to catch on fire (who knew it was flammable?) and ignite Charlotte's hair, which, unsurprisingly, resulted in the ear-splitting screech of "MY HAIRRR! MY BEAUUUTIFUL HAIR!"

Sadie sighed. "So much for that."

I cringed. "Um, make that 'When my chili becomes edible,' because you and I both know that's never going to happen." After glancing at her uncertain expression, I added, "Come on, I'm trying to boost your confidence here by insinuating that there's no way you're going to fail as much as this motivational speech did. Is that too much to ask for?"

Reluctantly, my sister grinned. "Thanks, Carter. I appreciate it...even though you're metaphors suck more than Shake it Up. And that's saying something, because that show _really _sucks-"

"We've already established the fact that my analogies suck," I interjected. "Now can we please get to the part about saving the world?"

"Patience, Grasshopper," my sister replied. "We need to hold on for a while; the power needs to accumulate and completely encase the dome. It'll probably take about ten minutes."

"And then?" I asked, vaguely gesturing towards the gathering crowd of frightened magicians and gods.

"And then I'll read from the Book," she answered, trying to sound confident but failing. "Afterwards, assuming we live beyond that point, I'll perform the grand finale."

"Which is?" I asked, turning to face a trainee who tapped my shoulder.

"The Book of-"

Before the magician could deliver his message, Sadie screamed.

"_NO!_"

In an instant, my wand was drawn. "What's wrong?"

My sister, eyes wide with shock, stared down at her empty, scarred hands. A green scaled demon stood no more than a foot away, a complacent grin etched upon his grotesque face.

"You!" she screeched, drawing her wand. "Give it back or I swear to God I'll—"

The creature snickered, tossing a book into the air and whizzing a good twenty feet to catch it, all in the space of a single heartbeat. I hadn't faced this demon while fighting, but I recognized him easily enough. It was the monster leading Apophis' army.

Servant of Chaos.

"What is it?" I asked, a horrible feeling welling up in the pit of my stomach. "What did he take?"

Sadie, ignoring my question, screeched and shot a bolt of red light at the demon. He dodged it, and then another, and another. He seemed to be enjoying himself, not even breaking a sweat.

"You want it, Kane?" he mocked. "Come and get it!"

"Sadie," I warned, coming up beside her.

"He—he took it. He took the book—" Sadie stammered, her blue eyes fixed on the ancient, crumbling parchment clenched in the demon's claws.

I felt like I had been hit with a ton of bricks. "The Book of _Ra?"_ I managed, dreading her answer.

Sadie hiccuped, wiping her tears on the backside of her soot covered palm. Then she stood up a little taller and said, "No. Not the Book. The other one. The Book of Slaying Apophis."

And I thought things couldn't get any worse.

"Let's get him!" a magician to my left yelled, raising his wand.

"Who, me?" Servant asked innocently. "No need to exert yourssself. I just came to do—thisss."

A flame sparked in the demon's claw, instantly igniting the paper before anyone could flinch.

_"No!"_ Sadie and I gasped in unison as we helplessly watched the book burn before our very eyes.

It would be one thing if he'd simply taken it. We could have gathered a raid to go retrieve the scroll and be back in no time. After all, the demons were on their last leg. They hadn't anticipated so much resistance.

But this creature, Servant of Chaos, wasn't stupid. He burned it. Even the gods couldn't save it now. And with the Rising only minutes away, we didn't have _time_ to look for one of the other two copies.

Tears streamed down my sister's face as the parchment crumpled to ashes in the demon's blood splattered clutches. I was hoping he too would spark and burn to a crisp like a piece the book, but no such luck.

Servant gasped, his claw covering his agape mouth in mock shock. "Well, isssn't that unfortunate. It seemsss as if no one will be ssslaying the Sssserpent lord after all. What a _pity._"

Before he could utter another word, I pushed Sadie aside. Drawing my wand, I drew the most painful, complex hieroglyphic I could think of. I had never used this spell—it always seemed too cruel, even if the target was a demon.

But for this one, I could make an exception.

It was dangerous. One wrong move and the whole thing could backfire, killing me instantly. But I didn't plan on messing up. Servant must have noticed this as well, because he turned an even deeper shade of green.

"Now lisssten here, boy—" he stammered, bloodshot eyes widening with fear.

"Save it, Servant," I spat. "You should have been dead long ago, and you know it." It was true. More than once I'd seen the monster facing another god or magician, just to be whisked away on what looked like a swirling tornado composed of nothing but smoke. When the haze had cleared, Servant was nowhere to be found. Only the corpse of a fallen soldier would remain, a knife protruding from their back. They never had seen him coming midst the swirling ash and smoke.

"Sssuch and obssservant boy, aren't you?" he asked, uncaring. Even his followers hadn't shown cowardice towards the enemy, and yet the demon's face remained neutral. "I'd love to ssstay and chat, but I'm afraid I have to go—"

"You're a coward," I accused. "You're no better than anyone else here. Apophis won't spare you in this 'new golden age' of yours. In fact, I'm probably doing you a favor."

The demon gulped, taking a large step back. "Lisssten Kane—"

"Now!"

I drew the final glyph in the air and pushed forward. Instead of feeling air, I touched a wall of power, invisible to the naked eye. The demon could sense it though. His pupiless eyes widened as he desperately searched the sky for his gateway to safety, a sanctuary sent by his merciful lord.

We waited. And waited.

But none came.

"Master!" he cried as the cobalt-colored flames consumed his body, the scales deteriorating from the intense heat. "My lord! _Help me!_"

Apophis' disembodied voice snaked into the demon's mind as well as my own. Maybe he wanted me to hear it. Maybe it was just because I was in a ten foot radius or something. Either way, I overheard the Serpent's reply. And it wasn't pleasant.

_"You fool,"_ it hissed._ "Did you honessstly believe that I needed you? Did you really think I EVER required your sssluggish assssistance or craved your undesssirable presssence?"_

Servant, his body excessively marred from the fire, merely whimpered in response.

_"You are nothing but a pawn,"_ Apophis jeered, either oblivious or indifferent towards the demon's agony. "_A worthlessss tool. A NOTHING."_

"M-m-m-aster," Servant crooked. "Pleassse, I_—_I can_—_"

_"I never needed you, demon. Your sole purpossse was to gather my army, and you did. And not well, I might add. You were carelesss. Self centered. Hopelesss. I only kept you alive because it would have inconvenienced me to find another as thick-headed as yourssself. In fact, I could have done it on my own if I so desssired. But why over exert myself? Why diminish my ssstrength? And why postpone my arrival for another hundred yearsss? No, you were nothing but a nonexissstent ssspeck compared to me._

_"So die, Servant of Chaosss," _Apophis whispered, his voice fading._ "Your ssservices are no longer required."_

"MASTER!" Servant cried. "MASTER! PLEASE I-I can do more! So much _more!_"

Apophis chortled in response._ "Enjoy an eternity of torment, demon. You've earned it."_

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

A freshet of blood oozed between his scales, splashing to the sandy floor and blanketing it in the sage-colored liquid.

Servant of Chaos burst into a shower of sparks, green slime and charred scales cascading over the battlefield. Anyone within a ten yard radius was soon covered in monster guts, blackened skin, and splintered bones.

"Uh._ Gross!_" Sadie screeched.

"No time to complain!" I called, already headed for the Dome. "How much do you remember of that book?"

"Remember?" my sister yelled. "Are you kidding me? It's dozens of pages long—"

"Sadie," I said, adopting a gentler tone. "How much do you remember?"

My sister, who must have realized how serious I was, stopped running as well and cocked her head to the side in thought. "Probably the first section, at most. But that's not even half of the spell, Carter. If anything, it will only weaken him."

"By how much?"

Sadie's eyes narrowed, considering. "Well, the Book of Ra decreases his power somewhat, but its sole purpose is to encase him. The Book of Slaying Apophis was to be performed afterward in order to destroy him for good by steadily eating away at his essence until he's completely destroyed. There are about four sections in all, so he'll lose about a forth of his strength. That is, assuming I actually remember the spell correctly and don't blow us all to smithereens."

"Good enough," I answered, unsheathing my _khopesh. _"Now we just have to worry about the other three-fourths."

Sadie sneezed, blowing her nose on her tattered sleeve. "Since when were you so optimistic?"

I paused, looking her straight in the eye. "Since I realized that there's more at stake than Order."

Abruptly, Sadie turned from me and motioned to a pair of trainees who, in the absence of fighting, had started a game of tik-tak-toe in the sand.

"Send for the stragglers on the field," she ordered. "Tell them to forget about the demons and fall back to the Dome. MOVE!"

The boys, wide-eyed with fear (whether or not it was from the fear of Sadie or the fear of approaching a battle, I'm not sure) sprinted away from the Rising Site. Meanwhile, my sister disappeared into the mass of soldiers, shouting out orders in her "no-nonsense" tone, so much like our mother's. Before I could follow in suit, the sand beneath me began to shake.

The ground split open, a massive crevice appearing in the middle of the battlefield. A dozen of magicians leaped to their feet, wands raised. Suddenly, dark vapor erupted from the abyss. The smoke, twisting, coiling snakes of vapor, grasped the heels of nearby soldiers. Before anyone could react, the wispy serpents retracted, abducting their victims by pulling them into the abyss. Their screams, sonorous and blood curdling, reverberated deep within the crevice's depths until, rather abruptly, they were cut off. Dead silence ensued.

"Um…" Sadie coughed. "Let's get started then, shall we? Chaos waits for no man."

*::*::*

The world seemed to slow down for the rest of the ritual. I wasn't really paying attention, just standing there like an idiot, waiting for someone to tell me what to do. Eventually Sadie took pity on me and told me to go rally as many people as I could before the spell was performed. I did, halfheartedly, and returned with fifty or sixty more. Only about two hundred were left fighting on the field, but the gods managed to create an invisible barrier to temporarily keep out any demons while our backs were turned. I couldn't help but notice that as the barrier closed, I'd never step out of it alive. It also sealed the fate between Zia and I, so even if she was alive, I could never get to her.

After the spell was performed, I was going to fight the Serpent. I couldn't sit here, wallowing my sorrows. Deep down, I knew that wasn't what Zia would have wanted. She died fighting for this cause, and I was going to do my best in helping it succeed, with or without her. It was the right thing to do.

Then why did I feel so empty?

I had Sadie and Bast and possibly Amos (someone had said they had spotted him only minutes before, but there wasn't any time to check up on him. The odds were against us, but Sadie and I couldn't help but hope) so it wasn't like I was _completely_ alone.

For some reason, my mind didn't catch the memo. Let's face it, I was devastated. If there hadn't been an Apocalypse only an hour away, I probably would have just found some quiet place secluded from everything and everyone else and just...I don't know. Despaired, perhaps. But life or death situations bring out the worst and best in people. It forces you to keep going, even when all you want to do is stop and feel sorry for yourself. The same thing happened when my dad disappeared. I had just been told I needed to save the planet from the god of Chaos. I didn't have time to cry about his death. Still, at least I could talk with my father, even if he was half-god of the Underworld. Zia, on the other hand, was lost forever. I never got to tell her how much I-

_"How much you what?"_

For a moment, I thought someone had spoken behind me. When I turned, however, nothing was there but a wisp of smoke.

That's when the realization hit me. _Shut up, conscience, _I moaned._ I'm not in the mood._

_"Tell me about it,"_ it muttered._ "Listen, are you just going to mope around like a bump on a tree?"_

_I think it's a lump on a log-_

_"Whatever,"_ my conscience replied, obviously not interested._ "You get the idea; stop sitting around in your self-induced exile and do something! Besides, how do you know your girlfriend's even dead? What are you, the god of destiny or something?"_

Was it normal to argue with yourself? Probably not, but at this point, I honestly didn't care. Too weary to continue on with my work, I leaned against an empty crate someone had discarded and answered, _Number One: that's Shay, and she's a _goddess._ And number two: I know this because everyone's been saying-_

The voice scoffed._ "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everyone's been _saying._ Please! I can recall a time when everyone believed that aliens were attacking the planet. It turned out to be the War of the Worlds on the radio!"_

Eyebrow raised, I inquired,_ What are you, a time traveler? I wasn't even alive back then. And is this supposed to teach me something?_

I may have imagined it, but I could have sworn I heard my conscience sigh._ "Just listen to your heart, kid, not your mind. How many times does it take to drill this into your head? I sound like a repeating record."_

_"You might be smart,"_ the voice continued,_ "but there comes a time in every mortal's life when what is considered to be fact is proven false. It happens everyday. Science books are rewritten, theories are disproved, and imagination becomes reality. And don't even get me started on the weather-those news people are never right!"_

I may not have been at the height of my sanity, but it wasn't long before it dawned on me that this wasn't normal._ Just-just stop, okay? This can't be happening; I'm going insane. What am I going to tell Sadie?_

_"You're not insane, Cart," _my conscience replied, sounding eerily familiar._ "I've just been in your head for a while-"_

_RA? _I shouted, horror stricken. This day was getting better and better. _What in the name of Ma'at are you doing in my thoughts?_

The sun god, as usual, ignored my comment. A sound that sounded suspiciously like clapping reverberated in my ears, followed by a squeal of delight. "_My, my! You remember my name! How flattering."_

I rolled my eyes, moaning in irritation as a dozen trainees stared at me oddly.

_This whole time... _I began, afraid of the answer,_ My conscience...that was you?_

_"The one and only, Cart."_

An ecstasy of rage overcame me. Incapable of containing myself, I screamed,"But that all started when I was searching for Zia! We were looking everywhere for you, Ra, and you knew it all along! And yet, all you did was eavesdrop! Not to mention the insanity-inducing conversations gave the impression that I was going mad-"

Ra huffed indignantly._ "Well excuuuse me. It's called _guidance_, and for your information, Sia is the god of thoughts and the mind, not me. Now there was an eavesdropper. Couldn't think of anything without him commenting on it. Talk about embarrassing." _Before I could interject, he added, almost as an afterthought,_ "Real good at charades, though. And cards."_

At this point, magicians and gods alike were avoiding me, careful not to meet my eye. I was the crazy person, after all. Maybe if they pretended not to notice, I would disappear. At the present time, that didn't sound like such a bad idea.

_"Carter, it's time to surface the water of despondency and get moving!" _the Sun god blurted._ "You have a world to save!"_

My feet remained embedded in the blood splattered sand.

As shocking as it may sound, I wasn't at all moved by Ra's encouragement. In fact, the only thought that aroused from it went along the lines of: Huh, at least I'm the only one whose metaphors suck worse than Khufu's impression of Charlie Sheen.

"_Charlie who?" _Ra asked, once again reading my mind.

"We're getting off topic," I growled aloud, no longer caring about the soldiers around me. "I thought you were dead. Why in the name of Ma'at aren't you down here? We could use your help, you know._"_

Ra sighed wistfully._ "Ah, if only. It's so nice of you to be concerned, of course, but I _am_ dead. That sort of causes a problem, since it's hard to battle the forces of chaos when you don't exist."_

For a moment, I thought I had heard wrong._ Wait...you _what?

_"Dead. Deceased. Pushing up daisies." _I could imagine him shrugging, as if the subject wasn't somber in the least._ "Take your pick."_

_Then how are we communicating?_ I questioned._ How are you able to do this? And why me?_

_"Ah, so many questions, so little time to chat," _Ra chided._ "But unfortunatly, that's covert information. Besides, I'm out of time. Lots to do; __I gotta run and, you know, scatter my soul over the Earth and all. But I just wanted to make sure you stop feeling so despondent and remember what I said about Zia. Tell her what I said, Cart!"_

"Zia's gone, you stupid ball of fire!"I shouted, my bloodstained fingers running through my hair in frustration, the tendrils thick with ash. "She's dead! D-E-A-D. Now get out of my thoughts!"

___"Time's running out," _he whispered, his voice becoming prohibitively distant. "_My son, Weneg, can't keep the balance much longer. The weight of Chaos has been accumulating for eons, but this...it's too much. The end is upon us. You must destroy Chaos before it crashes upon the Earth and erases the existence of man from the universe..."_

Mind racing, I glanced around me, hoping someone else was hearing this. Judging from the blank stares and disgusted faces, I was alone. Confused, I questioned,_ Balances? What balances? And who is this "Weneg" character?_

I waited for him to respond. Rather than answer, Ra disappeared. "_Remember what I said_," echoed in my mind, over and over until I thought I would go mad. Then it ceased, and I felt as if I had lost a part of me. There's no way to explain it, really. The image of that snowy night, so many years ago, flashed in my mind. I remembered it well; it was the first and only time I saw my father cry...

The day my mother died.

That was it, I realized. That gaping hole my mother left behind felt the same way. I recalled telling my father, to which he replied, "That's always going to hurt, Carter. Your mother was a part of all of us. What she meant to us...well, she can never be replaced. And the pain will never cease. It may ease over time, of course, but it will never, _ever_ cease..."

He was right. The same emptiness was present last year, after I lost my dad forever. What I didn't understand, though, was why I felt the same way after the death of Ra. It was almost as if he was there, inside me, all along...

"Arghhhh!" I kicked the crate, blinded by rage and frustration; cursing. So much for that. Now I'll never know what he meant—

"Carter."

"Please, Charlotte," I groaned, shivering at the idea of Ra in my mind for so long. "Not now, okay?"

_"Carter_—" she insisted, a warning tone to her grating, soprano voice.

"I said not now!"

"Fine," she huffed."But if that warrior-chick comes and kills you, don't blame me."

I moaned. "Listen, I don't have time for this. Use a combat spell if you're so nervous about her. I need to find Sadie—"

Charlotte shrugged, her curly hair deflated. "Fah_ine_. I was just _wondering_."

Thoughts muddled, I shrugged her off and, eager to get away, turned my back on her. I had walked about five paces when it hit me.

_Warrior chick?_

"Charlotte, NO!"

I knocked her wand to the ground just as she concluded the spell. The good news? I stopped her from killing a magician. The bad news? Putting your hand on an energized wand is like sticking your hand in an electrical socket with a fork.

And that's exactly what it felt like.

"HOLY SESHAT—" I shouted, biting my lip so hard that my mouth was overcome with the bitter, metallic taste of blood.

Suddenly a black haired goddess armed with a ruler appeared. She looked a lot like Bast in her panther robe and catlike eyes.

"How DARE you!" she cried, slapping my injured hand with a palm branch that materialized out of nowhere. "_No one_ curses the goddess of measurement!"

"OW! What was that for?" I shouted, eyes narrowing in pain. "Why not use the ruler?"

"It's not a ruler, you idiot," she spat, the ruler extending into a crystalloid spear. "Unless you want me to use it—"

"NO!" I stared wide-eyed at the weapon, its base humming with power. "Gods, it was an impulse. I'm _sorry_—"

"And don't use the gods' name in vain!" she screeched, slapping my hand again like a stereotypical nun.

"_OW!_"

"Barbarian," Seshat muttered, her eyes flashing in frustration and abhorrence. "You and your crude language—"

"Carter?" a voice interjected.

The goddess huffed and retreated, fingering her notched palm branch as if it were her most prized possession.

I turned, coming face to face with a sword. "Holy Sesha—" I began, wincing as the weapon's master laughed. "Gods, Carter, I'm not going to stab you," she exclaimed, sheathing her weapon.

"ZIA?" I shouted, squinting my eyes as I tried to recognize her under the blanket of ash that covered her face.

"No," she said sarcastically. "I'm your sister."

"Please," I answered, resisting the urge to wipe the green demonic slime off her forehead. "That would be ten times more frightening."

She grinned, her teeth looking blindingly bright against the ash. "So…"

"So."

I coughed as a stiff silence enveloped us. Did she remember the conversation we had before the battle? And why did she leave me? Rather than ask, I decided to state the obvious.

"I thought you were dead."

Zia chuckled bitterly. "So did I."

A deluge of questions flooded my mind. "What did—I mean, _how did_—"

"Long story," Zia interjected. "Let's just say it involved an abundance of fire, weapons, and apple cinnamon waffles."

For a moment I thought I heard wrong. "Wait, did you say _waffles?_"

At the same time, a young trainee who, judging from their tattered apparel, had narrowly escaped death shouted, "Wait, waffles can be apple cinnamon flavored? Wow. My world just got a little bit brighter."

"It's nearly midnight, you idiot," someone, a middle-aged magician, snapped. He had been dressing a leg wound in what looked like bloody scraps of a green and gold cape.

The teen glared at him, cleaning his knife by flinging the demon guts in the man's direction. "I'm talking about the light in the inner depths of my soul. Now shut it!"

Zia sighed. "I told you it was a long story. Now, word around the battlefield is that you're in a pickle. Well, I'm here to get you out of it."

"Thanks," I answered, wondering how someone could still look so unbelievably beautiful while covered in ash, demon guts, and blood. "But we're in more than a pickle. More like between a rock and a hard place."

Zia stared at me uncomprehendingly.

"You know, between Skylla and Charybis? A sticky situation?"

Shaking her head, Zia sighed. "I'll never understand Americans."

"Well, in a minute, that will be the least of your problems." I coughed again, wondering what to say. "We've had some...technical difficulties."

After updating Zia about the Book of Slaying Apophis, she gasped. "How did this happen?" she demanded, unsheathing her weapon as if Servant of Chaos would materialize out of thin air.

Before I could answer, Horus, who was covered in demon blood from head to toe, tapped my shoulder. "It's time, Carter," he whispered, gesturing toward the dome. "Better get back there. They'll need you."

I nodded, staring at the caravan of magicians and gods who were headed towards the Rising Site.

After Horus had gone, I turned to Zia. "I'll tell you later," I promised. "But Chaos is about to rise. How about accompanying me to the site of our almost-certain deaths?"

She grinned ruefully. "It would be a pleasure."

Taking her arm and smiling like the idiot I was, I led Zia into the deluge of fatigued magicians. Despite the darkening sky, my world had gotten a little bit brighter, and for the moment, nothing else seemed to matter but her hand in mine.

*::*::*

A congestion of people had manifested out of nowhere, forcing us to take a circuitous route around the dome. Despite my annoyance, I figured this was a good time as any to inform Zia of my plan that would inevitably result in my death.

I fiddled with the strap of my armor, stalling for time. "Zia..."

"Hm?"

I glanced at her armor, splatted with green slime and what looked suspiciously like pieces of a waffle. One of her hands were bleeding, but she didn't seem to care. Her hair had fallen loose from her messy ponytail, black tendrils blowing across her face, the ends stained red from someone else's blood. Her combat boots lashed the sand as she ran.

I blinked. _Focus, Carter, focus. _

"There's, um..." I gulped. "There's something I've been meaning to-well, something I've got to-"

"Well, spit it out!" Zia exclaimed. "We don't have all day."

As we walked, we passed a number of casualties huddled against an overthrown chariot. Many stared vacantly at the dome, while others whimpered in the fatal position, their forms irreparably broken. There was one scruffy looking magician who, oblivious to those around him, muttered only at "WE'RE DOOMED!" intervals.

They clutched hands, awaiting the forthcoming destruction.

Finally, we spotted Sadie, who was methodically moving her hands and reading from the Book of Ra at the same time. The ritual had finally begun.

"Um..." I had been wanting to tell her about my intentions. She wouldn't like it, I knew, but it had to be done. Wasn't that what Ra had said? Still, I couldn't bring myself to say it. Instead, I found myself asking, "So, what happened back there?"

"I told you, it's a long story-"

"No, I mean, before. You know, before the battle."

She paused. "Oh."

"Well?"

Zia shrugged. "The gong had rung. I needed to get to my position-"

"I know, but you've been acting weirdly since we've got here and-"

She arched a black eyebrow, tilting her head to the side. "Weirdly?" she repeated, sounding doubtful.

"Well, yeah."

Zia sighed. "...I-I was just nervous. Pre-battle jitters. Even I get scared once and a while, Carter. And at that time...I was."

I had never seen her look so troubled. Sure, she had just witnessed a bloody battle, but still...it seemed wrong somehow. This was Zia Rashid, the girl who probably ate nails for breakfast. Nothing ever seemed to phase her.

"You've faced worse than a demon army," I pointed out. "And you're the best fighter we have. I mean, you could defeat a whole legion of demons with fire and Eggo waffles. You had nothing to worry about."

Zia abruptly stopped, grabbing my hand, bringing me to a halt. I was about to ask what was wrong, but the look in her eyes stopped me. In them betrayed anger, joy and possibly a hint of fear. "I wasn't worried about myself, Carter," she whispered.

Before I could reply, Sadie shouted from a couple of feet behind me. "Don't let it contaminate the area!" she screeched, glaring at a demon who had somehow managed to enter the Rising Site unseen. I muttered a spell under my breath as I faced my wand in the creature's direction. A dozen scorpions appeared on the ground before me and scuttered towards the intruder. They fell upon the demon in seconds. By the time they finished, the creature was nothing but a pile of gleaming, splintered bones.

Sadie scrunched her nose in disgust. "Thanks...I think."

I grinned. "Hey, what are brothers for?"

"I've been asking myself that question for years, and I still don't have a logical answer," Sadie deadpanned. "But thanks all the same."

I rolled my eyes, avoiding Zia's gaze. I had a feeling I knew what she meant. Don't get me wrong, if our feelings were mutual, I'd be overjoyed. Ecstatic, even. Only I couldn't afford to be happy. If Zia felt the same way I did about her...well, it would make it that much harder for me to leave her behind. And I would have to leave Zia, whether I liked it or not. Why make things harder? I needed to distance myself from her as much as possible. The smaller the number of people I hurt while leaving, the better.

Sadie stood atop a fallen chariot, facing the nervous crowd. "Hello everyone. Thanks for coming. I know this might sound a bit mad, but I need you to-erm-hold hands with the person to your left. Just for technical purposes. I promise you can let go as soon as possible. I just need your power to accumulate-"

"Wait, I am _not _holding that thing's hand!" an older magician shouted, pointing a jagged finger at Set in disgust.

"I beg your pardon!" Set exclaimed. "Keep it up, buddy, and I'll-"

"EVERYBODY!" Sadie bellowed, speaking into her wand so her voice, clear and amplified, would reverberate throughout the field for all to hear. "Shut up and listen!"

The crowd went silent.

"Thank you. Now, hold hands before I get angry and decide to _not_ perform this spell. As soon as the ritual is concluded, you can all go back to hating each other. Capeesh?"

The soldiers muttered in agreement, reluctantly reaching for the person to their left. In no time, a circle was formed around the dome.

A little girl, probably six years old, raised a camera. "No this is what I call a picture perfect moment. Everyone, say cheese-"

Before she could press the button, the device exploded into a shower of sparks.

"Oops," Set mumbled, not sounding apologetic in the least as he held the hands of Nephthys and a middle aged magician from Tibet. "Sorry, sweetie. Now get lost before I really lose my temper."

I stared, gaping at the scene before me. Zia tapped my shoulder, reaching for my hand. "You coming or what, Kane?"

"I-uh..." My stomach constricted as the realization hit me. It was time. I needed to-what? Recite a spell? Break into the dome? But how would I get in? What was I suposed to do?

My eyes must have betrayed my concern, because Zia's grip on my hand tightened. Eyes narrowing, she asked, "Are you alright, Carter? You seem a little..."

"Freaked out?" I offered.

"Exactly."

I sighed. "Listen, I was going to tell you before, but there wasn't enough time, and I knew you wouldn't let me and I didn't want to worry you so I kept it to myself and now it's time and I have no idea what to and-"

"Carter!" Zia interjected. "Slow down. I have no idea what you're talking about."

Taking a deep breath, I explained the conversation I had with Ra, the prophecy, and my plan. Zia's eyes closed, deep in thought as I finished.

"So that's why I've got to go," I concluded. "I was going to tell you, but..."

"I understand why you did it," she whispered.

For a second I thought I heard wrong. "You _do?"_ I asked dubiously.

Zia nodded. "Of course I do. You knew I would lock you in a windowless, iron cell for the entire battle if I learned of your ridiculous, idiotic intentions." Her tone went from understanding to caustic in a matter of seconds.

"Um...yes?" I said, cringing in spite of myself.

"What has Carter done this time?" Sadie asked, approaching us. "Seriously, I can't leave for _five minutes _without him doing something stupid-"

"Carter's going to kill himself," Zia said with conviction, her arms crossed in defiance.

"You're_ what?"_

"Guys!" I interrupted, trying to catch their attention.

"I always knew you were odd, Carter" Sadie shouted, "but never _suicidal!_"

I moaned. "I'm not-"

"He is," Zia interjected. "He wants to enter Apophis' lair. ALONE."

Sadie's eyes widened. "WHAT?"

"GUYS!"

They stared at me, as did a number of magicians standing nearby. Just as I prepared to forcefully assert myself, a short, blond trainee started to scream. Sobek, who had been holding his hand, shifted awkwardly in the sand. "I think he's broken," he remarked, poking the boy in the stomach. Set moaned. "Gods, shut the kid up!"

Before anyone could move, the sharp hiss of the Serpent pervaded the minds of the remaining magicians and gods, whispering words in a language as old as time itself.

"Jesus!" Sadie screeched. "It's in my head! Why can't gods just leave my mind _alone _for God's sake?"

"No, he's not," Zia assured her, tone and expression neutral. "His power has nearly reached its height. We've got to perform that spell-_now._"

"But Carter-" Sadie began.

The ground began to tremble, forcing gods and magicians alike to the sandy floor. The dome, creaking and moaning like a house under construction, began to crack, forming a deep declivity at its edge where the dome met the sand.

I coughed, trying to clear my throat of ash that had gone airborne in the chaos.

_Looks like I found my way in._ I thought bitterly, my fear accumulating as I stared at the hole.

To my left, someone sighed. I turned, facing the crowd of stunned onlookers. Thoth, standing between a buff magician and a ten-year-old trainee, shook his head in dismay, regarding me as if he were already planning my elegy. Across the circle, gazing upon me with a look that appeared almost familial, stood Horus, his falcon leaning precariously at the edge of his shoulder. His multicolored eyes were dark with sadness, as if he, like the god of knowledge, knew about the prophecy all along.

Eyes watering, I faced the crevice. If I was going to do this, I realized, then I would have to jump as quickly as possible. The longer I lingered, the more compelled I became to give up and stay amongst my friends.

Amongst the living.

_"It needs to be done," _I told myself._ "You've...you've just got to rip it off. Like a band-aid."_

But that didn't stop the pain.

I don't know what the feeling was, but I knew that if I wallowed too much in my sorrows, it would consume me.

I regarded my farewell party…a group that consisted only of Sadie, Zia, and some random trainee who needed a splinter removed. Sadie shooed him off, tears streaming her eyes.

"GET OUT OF HERE AND MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL!" she bellowed, blowing her nose a piece of her tattered T-shirt.

"Jeesh," the boy muttered, retreating. "I appreciate the compassion and everything, but it's just a splinter. No need to get teary eyed or nothin'—"

"I SAID SCRAM!"

Zia stepped forward, her expression stern. "Carter, you don't have to do this."

"Yes, Zia, I do."

"No, you don't!" she argued. "It's a suicide mission, for Thoth's sake! You'll get yourself killed!"

"But I might be able to stall for time until the spell's completed," I pointed out. "It's worth a shot."

She sighed. "Carter—"

"I need to do this, Zia. This is what I'm meant to do. I can feel it. Even Ra said-"

"What did he say exactly?" Zia demanded, fear alight in her amber eyes. "And why you?"

"I...I don't know why," I admitted. "But he said that only _I_ could kill the Serpent. And that's why I've got to go, Zia. I've _got_ to try."

Her eyes narrowed, considering. Then, "No. No, Carter, something's wrong. I can feel it."

I shook my head, tired of arguing. "Zia..."

"Just listen," she pleaded. "There's got to be another way. No person can defeat the Embodiment of Chaos on their own. Isn't that why we got the magicians and gods together in the first place?

"You heard Bast's story, Carter," she continued, noticing my defiant expression. "And you know what Apophis is capable of. Ra had to know this. He wouldn't send you down there alone. It...it just doesn't make sense." She sounded like she was trying to not only convince me, but herself as well. Only I _knew_ what would happen, and no Feather of Truth could deny that.

"I'm well aware that it's insane, Zia," I acceded. "But it's worth a shot. I trust Ra, even if he was a little off his rocker." I smiled ruefully in spite of myself, remembering the moonstruck sun god. Unfortunately, the smile faded as quickly as it came.

"I…I know I might not be back," I admitted. "But the world may depend on it. Even if I only spare you a few minutes. That could make all the difference."

"Don't talk like that, Carter," Zia whispered, her eyes closed, as if she could wake up from this nightmare and make all of this fear and destruction disappear. "Just...don't."

"But it's the truth, Zia," I argued. "Please, go back to the circle. And if I don't come back…take care of Sadie for me. I know she can usually take care of herself, but...sometimes she does need me, even though she'd never admit it." I sighed, remembering a six year old Sadie and I playing with my Legos on the terrace. "And...and I won't be there to play big brother anymore."

Zia raised her head, amber eyes staring intently into mine. "She's not the only one who needs you, Carter."

I didn't have time to decipher what she meant. I wanted to stay; it's not like I looked_ forward_ to dying. But I had no choice. This was my destiny; only I could kill Apophis. I had to go in alone.

"Carter." Sadie's eyes were a deep shade of blue, a color she possessed only when she was about to cry. Her lower lip quivered, unruly hair blowing in front of her scarred face. She sniffled, ignoring the stray strands as she stared. Although she never uttered a word, her silence said it all. She knew what had to be done. We had experienced this before, when my dad sacrificed himself in order to bring back Osiris. But he needed to do it-not just for us, but for the world as well. Granted, I was no Julius Kane, but we made the same decision. Our lives-for the planet, and the billions of people who called it their home.

Sadie turned just as the tears started the fall. I understood; I wouldn't get to see her cry. It was for the best; I don't know if I would have been able to leave her if she had asked me to stay.

I turned, facing the endless expanse of sand for what may have been the last time. Then I left the circle, walking towards the crevice as I summoned Ra's crook and flail from the Duat. The rod glowed, illuminating the space around me like a ray of sunlight.

"Carter!" a voice, Zia, cried.

My fists clenched around the metal. I couldn't turn back. I needed to do this. If I stayed out there any longer, I knew I would break.

_Better to face your imminent death while you still feel somewhat confident,_ I reasoned.

"Carter!"

I bit my lip. Sadie sniffled somewhere to my left between verses, her trembling voice rising and falling with the words.

_"Keep going, Carter,"_ I whispered. "_One foot in front of the other."_

Before I knew it, there was no more sand. Instead, a deep, black abyss loomed only a few inches away.

Blood rushed to my ears as my heart thudded painfully against my chest.

_Jump, Carter. _I told myself.

My legs seemed to take on the consistency of Jello. My feet, however, remained still.

_Jump._

Still nothing.

"Oh come on, Carter," I whispered, eyes narrowing in frustration. "Jump. JUMP."

My knees bent, preparing to leap into the bleak unknown. Before I could move, however, something-or someone-slammed into me from behind. Strong arms grabbed me by the waist, pulling me away from the edge.

"Woa-" I shouted, nearly losing my balance and falling face first into the crevice.

I flung myself around to face my attacker, thinking some demon had manifested out of nowhere. Only it wasn't some force of Chaos.

It was Zia.

"What are you..." I began.

The words died on my lips when I noticed her expression; frightened, determined, and...

I gulped, noticing the unmistakable look of longing in her amber eyes.

"C-Carter," she stammered. "I-I can't, you can't-"

"We've been through this," I interjected, trying to ignore the fact that her arms were around me. "I've got to-"

"No, no. I never got to tell you-I mean, I never said-"

"Said what?"

Zia shook her head, groping for words. Shoulders sagging, she seemed to give up, defeat evident in her eyes. "I..."

I took a step back, pulling her hands off me. "Good bye, Zia."

I turned, only to be dragged backward as she grabbed my hand once more.

"Carter, _please_." A spark of panic ignited in her amber eyes. "I-I think-I mean, I know I-"

"It's time for you to go, Zia," I insisted, hating myself as soon as the words escaped me.

Zia sighed. "Gods, you're stubborn," she observed, laughing bitterly to herself. "I knew you wouldn't listen. But I had to try."

I grinned in spite of myself. "You know me too well."

"At least let me give you this," Not taking her eyes off me, she lifted a pendent from her neck that had been hidden beneath her armor. "It's a protective rune, used by the ancients to ward off evil," she explained, voice trembling. "It's not much, but..."

"Thanks," I said, meaning it.

And that was that. I should have turned, headed towards the crevice, and leaped into the darkness below.

Only I didn't.

I can't really explain it. One second I was dead set on jumping to my death, and the next all I could think of was how the light reflected off her sleek black hair. Then how the amber in her eyes got darker around the edges, and how luminous her skin looked against the ash and blood. She was beautiful, I realized for the hundredth time.

Zia blushed, her face turning a deep shade of crimson. I hadn't noticed how intently I had been staring at her, my eyes boring meaningfully into hers. I felt my self control slowly slipping away, just out of my reach.

My hand reached to push a stray tendril of hair from her eyes, moving with a mind of its own. She exhaled, her eyes closing in content.

Zia raised her face as I, heart fluttering, lowered mine, slanting my mouth across hers as she did the same. For a moment the two of us froze in paralyzed amazement. Then I was kissing her, or she was kissing me. At the moment, I was too dazed to tell.

I couldn't think. Maybe it was because of the lack of oxygen; we were breathing the same air. All I could focus on was how amazing her lips felt on mine, the texture of her hair, the scent of spices and lemons. My fingertips traced her temples, trying to commit her face to memory. Her arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me closer (As if I needed any encouragement.)

Nothing else seemed to matter, and I can honestly admit that I could have stood there for hours without even noticing. But there was still a small, almost nonexistent part of my brain that told me I couldn't; that I had work to do, and that I had to leave. Unfortunately, that part, no matter how bleak its reasoning was, had the upper hand. I couldn't linger, no matter how much I desired to do so.

I was beginning to seriously despise prophecies.

Zia, sensing my conflicting thoughts, broke the kiss first, the light quickly fading from her eyes.

"It's time?" she asked, slowly removing her hands from around my neck.

I nodded, briefly wondering what my life could have been like if this hadn't happened. What would have happened between Zia and I? By the looks of it, I would never find out.

Zia must have been thinking the same thing, her lower lip quivering. "Promise you'll come back, okay?" she whispered. Her voice trembled, betraying her fear. I had never seen her look so vulnerable before.

"I…" I wanted to promise, to tell her I'll be back, and that everything will be alright; but I knew I couldn't. It would be a promise destined to be broken.

And I never break a promise.

"I'm sorry, Zia."

Then, mustering all the courage I possessed, I descended down the abyss to face my death.

Alone.

*::*::*

**Ah fluff. Just like fluff on sandwiches, but not as good ;) Jk, I hate fluff on sandwiches. For those of you who do, I have a question for you (unintentional rhyme): was this chapter sweet like the fluff you used to eat in elementary school—and still do, but secretly in your kitchen (yes, I'm on to you) or was it bitter like the fluff on my own lunches? **

**Almost there. With only two chapters left, I should be done sometime during February vacation. Then I can_ finally_ upload the Kane Drabbles (EXCITEMENT)**** Again, I apologize for the lateness of the chapter and randomness of the metaphors *see above***

******Any guesses on what will happen?**

**(:(:(:mythomagic:):):)**

**N.B. So there's this contest thingy that I found out about three months ago. Many haven't heard of it, and the judges are looking for some more nominees, so I thought I'd let you guys know. Basically some fanfiction authors made a competition where people nominate their favorite KC fanfics for specific categories. You can go to their fanfiction page (_The First Nome_: link in my profile. Or you can just search it) and nominate whatever story you think pawns all others in the specific categories. So go check out their profile to learn more :D Oh, and t****hanks for those of you who nominated my fanfic (that's how I found out about it; getting that email) and I will be seeing you all soon-when I update within the next week or so. I THINK I CAN I THINK I CAN I THINK I CAN. (the little engine that could...never gets old ;)**


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